Double Standards

There is no hiding the fact that the Philippine government has had its fair share of unrewarding circumstances. When Ferdinand Marcos came into office, he had touted a vision of “A New Society,” one disciplined and free of corruption. After 14 years as a dictator, he left a trail of torture, murder, and cronyism. Other would-be plunderers that followed him were Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. What distinguishes the current government from the ones preceding it is not its cases of bribery or corruption, but its blatant favor over those in power and those who are not.

Duterte’s regime is no stranger to double standards. Even at the beginning of his presidency, he has showcased numerous times how his ideals rely solely on power. An example being his ambitious campaign to eradicate drugs, or what we commonly call his “war on drugs,” which is notoriously anti-poor. There had been countless reports of police officers shooting down defenceless suspects. Meanwhile, those who are connected to Duterte (his son) have the chance to get away with it.

Many would think that the current COVID-19 pandemic would finally put an end to these injustices, but once again the government proves them wrong. In fact, this situation even amplified the government’s preference to those who show their loyalty and utmost respect to the president. To further elaborate: Pimentel, Uson, and Sinas.

Sen. Kiko Pimentel made headlines after he accompanied his pregnant wife to the Makati Medical Center despite being instructed to self-isolate. Pimentel tested positive for COVID-19 on the same day. The hospital, along with many netizens, slammed Pimentel for his breach of protocol as well as the Department of Justice (DOJ) for refusing to act on several complaints regarding the matter.

Another similar incident happened to Ms. Mocha Uson, a popular peddler of fake news, who has been criticized for gathering OFWs in Batangas City. Hypocrisy was observed from Uson as no social distancing happened in the event despite advocating for this safety measure. However, the palace refused to press charges.

The issues not only highlighted the biased actions of the government but it also brought to light another concern: VIP testing. Many provinces in the Philippines have little to no testing capacity, and hospitals remain ill-equipped to fight the pandemic. Instead of tolerating VIP testing, officials must conduct tests at the right time, at the right frequency, and aimed at the right demographic.

The most talked about violation, however, would have to be PMGen. Debold Sinas’s mañanita birthday party, where several pictures surfaced online showing countless violations of quarantine measures. Despite flak from netizens, and even from famous personalities, Duterte defended Sinas, claiming that he was a good and credible officer who he needed to enforce the law in the region.

No such excuses were made when the police came to arrest six jeepney drivers of the transport group Piston, who were protesting on the streets so that they could resume operations.

Quarantine violators do increase the likelihood of quarantine extension. Locking them in dog cages as a punishment, however, overlooks social distancing guidelines and corrupts their image of freedom. It is of no surprise to anyone that COVID-19 is especially widespread in prisons. The Philippines is known for having one of the most congested prison facilities worldwide.

In some ways, the quarantine has become a brutal crackdown on the poor. Displaced residents are facing arrest and persecution as they accuse authorities of failing to provide relief. Economically speaking, these people need to work in order to survive. There are many drivers, vendors, and contractual workers who have lost their livelihoods due to the lockdown.

Hunger or coronavirus? Both are equally detrimental and unforgiving.

Diseases don’t have personalities—COVID-19 isn’t any more “aggressive” than it was quietly efficient—but if they did, the coronavirus would be a bureaucrat. It is not an equalizer, as we’ve seen from the obscene rates of infection and death among impoverished communities while politicians receive VIP testing; nor is it a unifier, as we’ve seen from multiple celebrity selfies taken from private villas.

Overcoming this virus will require aggressive contact tracing powered by armies of public health workers, something the Philippines lacks. The country’s lack of knowledge about the virus is probably its greatest weakness in combating it. Not knowing who has the virus, or who is most susceptible, contributes to higher infection rates.

The government’s skewed priorities and double standards have only served to exacerbate the outbreak. It is an exaggeration to say that COVID-19 broke the country. It only exposed what has already been broken: unchecked power, the disregard for the safety and well-being of the masses, and a history of messy Philippine leaderships.