https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/4/28/House-bill-new-normal-coronavirus-COVID-19.html Better hope this doesn't pass.
If you think that's absurd, here (from my cousin in Manila via CNN) is what President Duterte said last night saying that ECQ will not be extended past May 15, but GCQ will remain in place. He characterized this (including effectively placing house arrest on everyone 60+ and under 21) as "new normal". PRES DUTERTE SPEECH LAST NIGHT After the 15th of May, if the ECQ will not be extended anymore, we should all assume that a GCQ will be imposed on ALL of the regions affected by the COVID-19. Let us help Malacañang in informing people of the new normal we have to follow. Familiarize yourselves to avoid confusion. General Community Quarantine (GCQ) Rules: 1. Selected workers in non-essential services are allowed to go to work. ● electronics ● exports ● manufacturing ● e-commerce ● delivery ● repair services ● maintenance ● housing 2. Half of employees work from home, 50 percent are working on site: ● Finance ● Business process outsourcing (BPO) ● Non-leisure trade and service 3. Will remain CLOSED: ● Schools ● Amusement centers ● Leisure facilities ● Gaming ● Tourism services 4. NOT permitted to leave the house: ● Children (0 to 20 years old) ● Elderly (60 years old and above) ● People with high-risk health issues 5. ONLY shops catering to NECESSITIES will be allowed to re-open in malls. Malls will limit entry of shoppers. 6. Airconditioning will be limited in malls. WIFI will not be provided. NO loittering allowed. 7. Priority construction projects can resume 8. Nonworkers are allowed to buy food and go out to avail of essential services ● Allowed will be people who are 21 to 59 years old. ● EXCEPT again: children, elderly, vulnerable people 9. Public transport can operate at reduced capacity. 10. Local government units shall ENFORCE CURFEW for nonworkers. 11. Airports and ports can only operate for the unhampered DELIVERY OF GOODS. --- Plans of going out or reunions after May 15 are still not entirely possible. You are REQUIRED to bring an I.D. that specifies your AGE and ADDRESS wherever you go. Checkpoints will still be in place. You will still be questioned if you defy the rules. We need to abide by the guidelines. Be aware that we are trying to avoid a second wave which is considered to be more damaging than the first. WE CAN DO THIS. (CNN:Based sa official statement ng Malacañang and IATF)
What is absurd about this? 60+ and under 21 are not making working contributions to the economy. Why let them out and feed the contagion when many workers cannot go out to do their jobs?
I have several friends, and have several users here, with the following criteria: Over 60 Spouse also over 60 OR Spouse cannot drive Need to go in person to bank They live too far from the banks to walk and / or are not permitted to appoint anyone to bank on their behalf. This country has dedicated programs to entice the elderly to retire here. That is going to fall flat on it’s face if there an open-ended ban on even going out your front gate if you’re over 60. I was about to start into applying for SRRV but no way in hell will I do that if there is the slightest doubt about this restriction still being in place a few years from now.
I just worry for the tourist guide business in the Phils - young filipina goes on tour with old foreigner - seriously, how can they make money now for theirs kids and families? no one is talking about that important business, no matter if you like it or not, it's real.
It’s estimated that each foreign tourist that enters the country in a given year creates one job for a local. That’s just formal employment. Add ‘travel buddies’ and yes, it’s going to be a significant bump in numbers. The more popular destinations also support hordes of trinket peddlers, freelance guides, street food vendors...
There are a few things in this book that I think should be the new normal: Yes, please join the rest of the modernized world when it comes to this. Every democratic country should have this. Awesome. Please! These things would be a huge leap forward for the country and would help deal with corruption, fraud, waste and abuse. Now that part about it being effective "for three years or shorter if the national government declares that the threat of COVID-19 has been eradicated" is a bit scary with the other stuff and the economy and society here will, without a doubt, completely collapse long before this disease is "eradicated". That simply isn't going to happen. I believe the virus is going to be around much longer than that.