You cannot live here very long before realising that the media and/or government have a very negative attitude towards aliens. Read newspapers and they are full of headlines "Foreigner does this, foreigner does that", even if the behavior is very common among Filipinos. And I note that if a group of foreigners and Filipinos are caught doing something illegal, it is headlined "x foreigners and y Filipinos caught ...." when y is the greater number - the foreigners are mentioned first. Perhaps some may think that is correct as we are guests here, but in many Western countries the headlines seem to favour immigrants against citizens.
Maybe its an IQ monitor not a temp check, solely used for those types of virtual entertainment chambers and the pocket lined patrons they aim for
Somewhat contradictory policy here it appears: I wonder how face-to-face classes can be held under the modified quarantine regulations if the age group involved are not allowed to leave home?
I assume classes will NOT restart whilst the young, the old, the pregnant (two of these groups overlap - a double whammy!) are locked indoors. Always hope for an effective vaccine but be prepared that it may never arrive or may take years - so under the 'no vaccine, no school' rule (and, I assume, some form of quarantine remaining), it is possible that schools will remain shut for 3 years. Unless they rethink their policies.
As a side issue - I along with others have been quite critical of the provincial government here, on this forum, on the way they have handled things. In particular, the clear danger in allowing OFWs and SLIs into the province from infected areas, which predictably has lead to the recent positive cases and potential wider virus spread. I commented on this yesterday on their fb page and late last night received a reply. I was commenting on their belated plea to the NIATF in Manila to be allowed to impose stricter testing and quarantine measures on incoming citizens and I was critical of them for not foreseeing the problem until too late. I received replies from two individuals, neither of whom stated they were provincial government officials, but both seemed remarkably informed and used very good English for locals. Their defence was that the conditions on entry were dictated by the NIATF (hence the plea to them) and also that Manila had effectively 'deceived' the local officials by claiming that some OFWs were LSIs and this lead to them not being properly prepared for their receipt. They also accused NIATF of effectively just playing a game with numbers. After all, it matters not to officials in Manila whether an infected individual potentially spreads virus in Manila or the provinces. Whilst I struggle to understand what the difference is between a potential virus carrying OFW or LSI is on entering the province, this does look like a more complex situation than I understood it to be. I thanked them for their honesty and wished them success for their plans.
I cannot see any difference either - splitting up people into groups and treating them differently is pointless and dangerous. ANYONE coming onto an island (especially one with zero cases in the previous 2 months) MUST be put into effective quarantine - it makes no difference where they originated from or what they choose to call them. And 'effective quarantine' means 'not at home' - a positive in Mabinay is alleged to have recently gone walkabout and now the area is under a lockdown. They should be quarantined in a guarded building. If this affects their human rights then how about the thousands locked at home still because the virus has been ALLOWED to come back.
Duterte may not even be president by the time a vaccine has been developed, tested and released to the public. The policy will almost certainly be reconsidered. Politics are complicated...and dangerous in the Philippines. I find it hard to judge someone's actions without having the full picture. Things are the way they are for many different complicated and nuanced reasons. Rarely do things become screwed up due to pure ignorance and incompetence. There are many things that lead up to seemingly horrible decisions and the status quo. I don't think the governor is an idiot and I'm almost certain there are legitimate reasons why he makes the decision he does. Going against the grain in this country can lead to deadly outcomes. Life is cheap here and everyone is replaceable.
You're right...If you are not within 20 feet of anyone, not wearing a mask poses no problem. You are complying because you care about others. It offers little protection to you, but is there to slow down your own breath. It's a matter of respect for other people when you wear a mask and has little to do with your own health. But people don't really seem to understand thatsimple concept at all. And the misconception also seems to transcend country and culture. In public, If you are near others and you don't wear a mask, it is disresepctful to everyone you encounter.
You made that statement before (that masks are only of use if worn by the infected) and then very recently denied you said it. It is utter nonsense to say that wearing a face mask has little to do with your own health and it is giving people wrong advice. I am amazed you do not understand that simple concept at all. You even write "And the misconception also seems to transcend country and culture." So all the countries who have told their people to wear face masks are wrong? When did you become the World's leading scientific advisor on pandemics, or cross-infections in general? This has cost 430,000 lives so far - so a great pity the World has not had the benefit of your knowledge previously. If you don't get the simple concept of wearing a face mask to help protect YOU from infection then go and freely walk around Manila or Cebu without a mask.
