#ncov

AC staff member Khayyaam has made an uncanny observation.

Subject: Philippine Government

In the evening of April 1st, 2020, the PH president addressed the nation upon short notice. He just appeared on TV screens like an idiot.

And then he babbled about shooting dead the lockdown violators, i.e. the citizens who are only asking for food rations, a.k.a. the poor, the hungry, the vulnerable.

The nation waited for him to discuss a breakdown of the P275 billion budget that the Office of the President holds, but yeah, shoot them dead, magtiis kayo, putangina.

Who in their right mind--let alone a president--would promise death threats to his people, instead of assurance, sincerity, and actual aid to them? He was supposed to make us feel safe; after all, he's the president.

And so I snapped.

I rarely post my political views on my Facebook account, but when I finally did, a bunch of relatives bombarded the comments section with their utterly disappointing hostility and their glaring lack of sympathy towards the truly affected Filipinos in this time of crisis.

They even used the "God card" - - said that it's good that He gave it to the world so it teaches humans a lesson, and I'm like: ???

So I, naturally, responded with these points:

people are starving

they can be assaulted by the authorities without basis or reason (because they're assholes like that)

bullets cannot be the answer to a branching health crisis

they (my relatives) have the audacity because they're blinded by their privilege

And they got mad. like, mad-mad. I had a feeling they're ganging up on me, but I couldn’t care less. Besides, my rule is once I've expressed my point, I will no longer read their futile response. I stuck to that rule, muted the thread, yet they still seemed to have a lot to say (so my friends reported upon seeing the discourse on their news feeds).

And just this morning, my mother--the woman who told me last night that she dislikes Du15x2 too--confronted me about it, told me to not get involved in the opposition because it won't lead to any good for me. After a lengthy chat, I simply let her win, but I will keep my battles underground a.k.a. on my stupid twitter accounts.

If you fail to see what goes wrong in that thick, withering head of Du60÷2's, it's probably because your refrigerator is full; your pantry is all stocked up; you're comfortable in your air-conditioned bedroom; you'll live just fine even if the quarantine period is extended;

Maybe because you don't have to rely on the government to feed you and your family; you don't have to worry about your unpaid bills because you can do it online; you can pay the treatment and medicine for when you get sick.

Until you actually experience the despair, you will remain unfazed because of this simple truth:

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we, like everyone else, would like to ask you all to stay at home, practice social distancing, take your vitamins and wash your hands regularly. On top of that, we recommend all of you creatives here on Tumblr (especially those who are in battle with the anxiety caused by the lockdown in Luzon) to DO YOUR THING.

For those whose responsibilities were somehow reduced, this might be a good chance to finish your passion projects. Take time to find some inspiration by reading the books on your to-read list or watch films you have been wanting to watch.

We also encourage you to help kill COVID-19 with passion. Through your writings or art, you can help in informing the public on the things they need to do to stop the spread of the virus. You may create a photo essay on social distancing, a poem on handwashing guidelines, or a comic strip to combat fake news. Let your creativity overflow and flood your anxiety.

If something has to die today, it’s our procrastination. We survive as a nation, and our passion lives with us.