We have all managed to get past the halfway mark of 2020, but Pandora’s box has barely opened.
As infections skyrocketed and millions continued to struggle due to the pandemic, the government had arguably been taking a detour from the main assailant. While they celebrated the “success” of their recent maneuvers, the public simmered with outrage and discontent.
In true bayanihan spirit, Filipinos continued to come together in physical protests and social movements to voice their dissent and frustration towards the government’s lack of concern for the real issue and its crumbling effects. Considering how the pandemic has been exhausting hospitals and healthcare workers, many echoed the urgent need for a concrete and feasible plan as the country is a ticking time bomb. It would only be a matter of time and misplaced priorities for it to go haywire.
We listed down the events and movements that made headlines this month.
1. Harry Roque and the UP Prediction
Photo courtesy of CNN Philippines
With the country’s COVID cases tallying to 36,438 on June 29, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque congratulated the Philippines for its victory against the pandemic and the 40,000 cases prediction by the University of the Philippines. Rather than cheers, this caused a stir on social media as many expressed their dismay over the government downplaying the COVID situation to a mere “UAAP Game” statistics.
On the same day, the UP OCTA Research projected that the number of COVID-19 infections would likely reach 60,000 by the end of July based on the infectivity rate of the virus. However, the number of cases had already breached the 60,000-mark in the second week of July.
While some netizens congratulated UP for winning this round, many raised their concerns for the drastically increasing number of infections and again urged for immediate actions from the government. A recent estimate by UP researchers showed that the reproductive rate of the country rose from 1.28 to an alarming 1.75. If the trend continues to grow at this rate, not only would this result in a staggering number of cases and deaths but also overwhelm the already struggling healthcare system.
2. ABS-CBN remains off-air
Photo by Jire Carreon/Rappler
On July 10, the franchise renewal battle of ABS-CBN concluded as the House Committee on Legislative Franchises voted 70-11 to reject their bid for a 25-year extension. In the 13 congressional hearings conducted, Congress cited issues on Gabby Lopez III’s dual citizenship, tax avoidance, foreign ownership, and unjust labor practices as some of the network’s violations of its constitutional provisions.
Support for the network poured on social media through the hashtags #NOtoABSCBNFranchiseDenial, #IbalikAngABSCBN, and #DefendPressFreedom, to name a few. While House Speaker Alan Cayetano insisted that the issue was not press freedom, journalists, media groups, and student organizations argued otherwise. As Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon puts it, “The sword of Damocles will continue to hand perilously over other media networks. Both the legislators and the executive can wield the sword at their whim and caprice. This is when democracy starts to weaken.”
Together with the employees and supporters of the network, various media groups and human rights organizations joined the noise barrage held at the company’s headquarters in Quezon City to voice their dissent following the said decision and to shed light on the importance of press freedom. ABS-CBN’s regional stations also took part in the movement in their respective provinces.
This week, the People’s Initiative for Reforms and Movement for Action (PIRMA Kapamilya) was launched by a group of citizens in an effort to grant the network a “people’s franchise.” The initiative, which currently has 13,000 signatures, aims to gather 7 million more to comply with RA 6735.
3. People of the Philippines vs. the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020
Photo courtesy of Rappler
Amid the coronavirus health crisis, President Duterte signed the feared Anti-Terror Bill into law despite strong warnings from legal experts and concerns from human rights groups. Filipinos went on social media to denounce the law that blatantly “penalizes” freedom of speech and other constitutional rights.
On July 4, a group of lawyers and civic leaders, led by Professor Howie Calleja, filed the first petition seeking to nullify the said law. More appeals from senators, Muslim lawyers, veteran journalists, human rights groups, and church leaders followed suit. As of this writing, 19 petitions challenging the newly signed law have been submitted before the Supreme Court.
Public protests also sparked all over the country to denounce the passage and call for the immediate scrapping of the controversial law. Various organizations in Metro Manila held an indignation rally in UP Diliman while maintaining social distancing.
In another protest in Cabuyao, Laguna, 11 members of Karapatan, Gabriela, Pamantik KMU, and other youth organizations were arrested. Kyle Salgado, a member of Karapatan ST, stated that they were not informed of the charges against them upon arrest. “Free Cabuyao Eleven” then trended on social media, demanding the immediate release of the captured activists.
4. The call for an academic freeze
Photo courtesy of 8List
As the coming academic year shifts to other modes of learning, the future of Philippine education came into question. Last week, DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones stood firm by her decision to open classes on August 24 despite the constant plea of students and teachers regarding the lack of resources. Likewise, CHED Chairman Prospero de Vera III said that universities and colleges are “ready to open classes this August” through the implementation of flexible learning.
While many students and teachers understood the importance of learning, they feared that this would further compromise the quality of education to be delivered and the academic competence that the students will gain. On a socioeconomic stand, effectuating an “online and offline” mode of learning would aggravate the digital divide among students and burden families to pay for the delivery fees of modules and requirements.
With face-to-face classes still being far from reality, students and youth groups urged government agencies to initiate an ‘academic freeze’ which would require “a flexible academic term, calendar, and curricula to lessen the school days required, lower the number of course requirements, and reduce tuition and other fees.”
5. SONA 2020
Photo courtesy of The Summit Express
Despite several invitees testing positive for COVID-19, President Duterte pushed through with delivering his 5th State of the Nation Address at Batasang Pambansa. Only 50 officials, mostly Duterte’s allies, were present to physically witness the annual tradition, whereas the usual attendees were present through Zoom.
The incumbent president opened his speech by assuring the Filipino people that a vaccine is “around the corner” and thanking the frontliners for their sacrifices. He then spent the next minutes to praise his administration’s “success” in the 30th Southeast Asian Games and Senator Bong Go for his work on several bills filed in the Senate.
Duterte called on Congress for the quick passage of the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act, and National Land Use Act, among others. He also sought for the creation of government agencies for OFWs, protection of online consumers, support to provide accessible food for every Filipino, implementation of “e-governance,” and the revival of the death penalty for drug convicts.
Although he raised measures to improve the country’s healthcare system, there was no mention of a concrete and detailed plan to address the current health crisis—a point which Malacañang officials said he would lay down. Instead, he detoured and went on a tirade about tangential matters like fire trucks and telecommunication services and his grudge towards the “oligarchs” of ABS-CBN and Senator Drilon who “defended” them. Surprisingly enough, the enactment of the highly debated Anti-Terror Law was not brought to light in his penultimate speech.
6. #SONAgkaisa: The unified resistance
Photo by Mark Demayo/ABS-CBN News
As with previous addresses, this year’s SONA was met with protests from various groups and organizations in the country. Thousands of people from all walks of life marched to UP Diliman to condemn the government’s response towards the pandemic, the signing of the anti-terror bill, and the franchise denial of ABS-CBN, among others. Issues on human rights, education, livelihood, and freedom were also raised.
Unlike past protests, the traditional burning of an effigy was done through a stop-motion video shown during the program. Along with the iconic singing of ‘Bayan Ko,’ a Filipino rendition of Les Miserables’ ‘Do You Hear the People Sing?’ titled ‘Di Niyo Ba Naririnig’ was also performed.
During the protest, veteran journalist Ces Drilon spoke out on how ABS-CBN’s shutdown would negatively affect the press as many might fear to report the truth. Likewise, it carried the warning that anyone who reports on them may be shut down next. Meanwhile, when asked to rate the president’s performance, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno said that he could not give one since the president himself insults human rights.
A focal point at the unified protest was an urgent call for the government to realign its priorities in responding to the COVID-19 crisis as millions more will suffer if trivial matters are attended to first. Placards raised during the event highlighted the resumption of operations for jeepney drivers, environment protection, mass testing, red-tagging of students and indigenous people, and the call to oust the president.
This year’s protest drew attention not only for its cause but also for its creativity. Artist-activist Mae Paner who went viral with her iconic Debold Sinas look in last month’s Grand Mañanita, dressed up for this year’s protest in a swimming attire while carrying inflatable dolphins as a reference to Spokesperson Harry Roque’s trip to Subic Bay despite the strict quarantine protocols.
Along with wearing face masks and social distancing, the event capped off after a few hours in adherence to health protocols. Those unable to attend physically registered their support through an online rally and use of the hashtag #SONAgkaisa. The mass protest also spread to many regions in the country like Cavite, Laguna, Baguio City, and Cebu City who each rallied for their demands and causes.
READ: Walking in unity for this year’s #SONAgkaisa
7. The sudden surge in COVID-19 cases
Photo courtesy of the Manila Bulletin
On July 1, the Department of Health recorded a total of 38,511 infections, with deaths at 554 and recoveries at 5,131. As the month comes to a close, the country stands at a record-high number of 83,873 cases, 1,947 deaths, and 26,617 recoveries.
This month also saw the highest single-day rise in COVID-19 cases and deaths with 2,539 infections on July 8 and 162 deaths on July 13. Private hospitals St. Luke’s Medical Center and Makati Medical Center also reported that their COVID-19 bed allocation and workforce had reached full capacity, which meant that they could no longer accept critically ill patients.
As the alarming rise in infections continued to strain the healthcare system, the public threw a question to the government: “Ano ba talaga ang plano?”
8. Getting close to a cure
Photo from Gilead Sciences via Reuters
In his annual address, President Duterte asserted that a vaccine is around the corner and had sought the help of President Xi Jinping to prioritize the country in any case that one becomes available. Realistically speaking, how far along are we towards a cure?
Of the 140 candidates, six vaccines from six different companies and research institutes, namely Moderna (US), BioNTech (Germany/US), AstraZeneca (Sweden/UK), Sinopharm (China), Sinovac (China), and Murdoch (Australia), are currently in phase 3 of clinical trials. In this final stage, the vaccine would be administered to thousands of people to test its safety and effectiveness.
Once proven to be safe and effective, it will be submitted to the Food and Drug Administration for approval, and only then can the approved vaccine be cleared for mass production and public use. However, Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of Health reminded the public to be “cautiously optimistic” as phase 3 trials will take months.
The rain continues to pour, but it’s safe to say that this month created the perfect storm of fear, disappointment, confusion, and frustration. The pandemic may have masked our mouths; it certainly did not silence our voices. At a time where critical matters are being neglected, it is high time for us to continue exercising our right to free speech and wield it to overcome the fear and intimidation that the powerful use to hold us from upholding the truth. With enough magnitude and force, perhaps we can make them listen.
As we move forward to more days grappling with the pandemic, our actions should also be as strong as our voices. Behind the curtain, healthcare workers and scientists work around the clock to save lives while risking theirs. Our part in abiding by health protocols and quarantine guidelines is our most significant contribution in breaking the chain and easing their burdens.
These challenging times for all of us, but hope should never be lost. In unity, we will prevail against our enemies: both the invisible and visible.
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