As early as June 2020, I’ve been hearing the horrors experienced by OFWs who were milked of their cash by unscrupulous relatives of some people in government. Seafarers stranded in Manila Bay, for instance, were sold fresh eggs at $1 apiece by ship chandlers who were close to the powers that be. For those who arrived at the airport, buses were waiting but also charging exorbitant fares to the drop-off point.

Government keeps talking about assisting returning overseas Filipinos, but in these dire situations like hunger and need for transport, our so-called “Bagong Bayani” are forced to cough up the few precious greenbacks left in their pockets.

Last April 30, my friend came home with two negative test results from the USA as it was a requirement for those transiting in Taiwan. She is fully vaccinated and the PCR tests she had in the US were done to ensure that she had proper health clearance for vacation. She stayed at one of the assigned quarantine hotels in Ortigas Center while waiting for the result of her mandatory test upon arrival.

On the fifth day of her self-quarantine as required by the government of Duterte, the Red Cross revealed the result of her test and she was positive despite the fact that she has completed her vaccination and was not experiencing any symptoms at all.  She was scheduled to be moved in one of the government quarantine facilities but her family in the US and her relatives here in the Philippines did not want her to be “treated” with other COVID-19 patients.

Then she asked my help if I can do something to move her to a safer quarantine facility for her fear that she might be contaminated with other COVID-19 patients in the government facility. I understood the fear of her family in the US, so I sought the help of Senator Dick Gordon and, in less than two minutes, I got a call from Vanessa Lee Calixto and Ging Sanchez of the Philippine Red Cross who facilitated my friend’s quarantine treatment in one of the accredited hotels in Quezon City under the supervision of the PRC.

I have nothing against the quarantine and mandatory test being implemented by the government as we all need to be protected from possible carriers of new variants from overseas. However, the “apodictic rule” created by the best and the brightest of the DOH-IATF tandem has no scientific foundation and seem anchored only on monetary consideration. It’s all about money making, nothing more, nothing less especially on their “across the board” implementation of this quarantine accommodation even for fully vaccinated and negative PCR test-bearing inbound passengers.

Last June 8, I attended the virtual presser of BAKUNA NOW NA launch and my question was, “With the ongoing mandatory quarantine from arriving passengers in the Philippines despite being fully vaccinated and have negative PCR result, will this not turn off foreigners and tourists to come here?”

The answer from Dr. Beverly Ho from the Department of Health, “The government doesn’t have a system to verify the authenticity of these clearances or results.”

To my mind, it is so simple. Tap the brilliant people in DICT, DOST and DFA. Furthermore, in the absence of the system (but present money-making system), then the government can adopt the “risk-based assessment procedure.”

Meaning, if the passengers and their results come from strong certification countries like the US, Canada, Japan, South Korea and EU countries, these countries have truly conducted the vaccines and PCR test of the passengers and assured that they are compliant. They are pre-cleared already by their health authorities and also by their governments in the embarkation countries. Then why do they have to undergo mandatory quarantine and PCR test again?

Not so hospitable welcoming

With the mandatory hotel quarantine for returning residents, OFWs and foreign nationals despite being fully vaccinated abroad and having negative PCR test leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Why must they be obliged to stay at a hotel? Why not have them home quarantined, instead?

The already over financially-and-emotionally-burdened people are mercilessly and insidiously being treated as an ATM machine by this government. They use favored accredited laboratory companies that can operate in the airport at a way above the market price of COVID-19 testing. You’ve no choice but to take it because you can’t leave without it.

Mind you, they want you to avail of the RTPCR test and not the antigen test which is cheaper. The RTPCR test costs P4,500 per person. With minimum of P6,000 per day conservatively, the hotels in the Philippines give a minimum of 10% commission to the “agent,” and apparently the government or their appointed relative agent gets the commission. Now do the Math and ask yourself, who financially benefits from this?

I always believe in the #Filipinnovation. If the reasoning of DOH is that we don’t have a system yet that was developed to validate the records of vaccinated incoming passengers, then don’t throw the monkey on the back of many returning residents, foreigners and OFWs. Do something, anything to ease up the burden of these people.

This administration has wasted so much effort done by the Filipino people with malasakit. What happened to the mothballed COVID-19 testing kits done by our Filipino scientists? How about the contact tracing done by the DOST? Why insist on using the StaySafe contact tracing app, when no less than Contact Tracing Czar Benjamin Magalong said in the congressional inquiry last March 30 that given the fact that the tracing does not go beyond the household of COVID-19 cases, “Technically, there is no contact tracing there?”

Are we really heading towards salvation or damnation with the way things are going now given the palpable lucrative business in the name of pandemic quarantines?

Truly, Plato is right when he said, “Much more wretched than lack of health in the body, it is to dwell with a soul that is not healthy, but corrupt.”

Founded on its mission to inspire a deeper level of care for everyone in the community during this pandemic, especially the immuno-compromised, Organique joins the Department of Health’s (DOH) Bida Solusyon Campaign that calls on the public to comply with health protocols in order to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. The launch event took place via Zoom and was hosted by celebrity wellness advocate Regine Tolentino.

Organique’s premium health products have been founded on the vision that a strong immune system can make the people susceptible to illnesses and other medical conditions. Boosting one’s health becomes more than self-empowerment, and can also become a means to extend that protection to family, friends, and even the community. A healthy physiological system makes for a formidable complement with the DOH BIDA practices such as the wearing of face masks and face shields in public spaces, regular and proper handwashing, and social distancing by at least one meter. 

“This well-rounded approach to health is essential, now more than ever, as we face a threat with no known cure yet,” said Cathy Salimbangon, CEO and President of Organique, Inc. during the partnership launch last Sept. 29. As numerous medical experts including the World Health Organization (WHO) have iterated, maintaining a healthy immune system is one of the best defenses against COVID-19, since it acts as a barrier against disease. While there are currently no COVID-19  medications that can completely eliminate the virus, there are steps that one can take to ensure one’s physiological and immunological defenses are as strong as possible. 

Echoing Salimbangon’s statements, Integrative Medicine Specialist and Wellness Expert Dr. Sonny Villoria shared, “As a medical practitioner, I know the importance of boosting your immune system. So health supplements like Organique can help provide some form of internal protection, while BIDA can provide external protection. By practicing minimum health standards, we are doing something for ourselves.”

The success of the campaign relies a great deal on the collaboration between the private and public sectors. Dr. Beverly Ho, Director IV of Health Promotion and Communication Service of the DOH’s Public Health Services Team, explained, “We welcome Organique’s energy to make BIDA’s message live and breathe in every Filipino. We shouldn’t be fearful about COVID because the solutions are within us. However, we recognize that some countrymen need more, and so we have our partners to help spread our message. We need to go beyond communication and advertisements to reach different communities.”

During the launch, Organique pledged to help build consumer confidence through the mass implementation of the BIDA Solusyon campaign’s objectives. “Not only will we be applying the BIDA guidelines in our own lives. We will also be sharing the pillars of the BIDA campaign in our various platforms online and in person, so that our teams, their families, and the people they may come in contact with, will learn about these simple but important practices against COVID-19,” Salimbangon elaborated.

In addition, Organique Inc.  ImmunoCare Kits will be distributed to the vulnerable sectors of the community. They contain the brand’s immunity-boosting Acai Premium Blend, bottles of alcohol, masks, face shields, and BIDA posters and flyers. 

Salimbangon also shared how their company is coping in the new normal. She said, “As a brand, we are in a position to do more to curb the spread of COVID. Thanks to the BIDA guidelines, our teams were able to adapt and demonstrate the resilience that puts the safety of our team and customers first.” 

Meanwhile, Communications Technical Advisor to DOH Amor Maclang emphasized the important role that each individual plays as the economy begins its road to recovery. “BIDA Solusyon encourages all of us to be the hero—the ‘BIDA’ of this pandemic. We are all realizing that in order to beat the virus, we need to learn how to live with it. Transmission is inevitable, but we have some of the lowest fatality rates in the world. This happened because all of us in civil society work together and are integrated into our actions through the BIDA campaign.”

Similarly, television host and wellness advocate Cory Quirino reiterated the significance of accountability in encouraging bravery. “When we talk about flattening the curve, we also need to flatten the fear. BIDA is a timely reminder that the hero is in all of us.”

The DOH’s BIDA Solusyon campaign is supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development through the Breakthrough Action Program, which has advocated the implementation of a variety of social and behavior change communications in different developing countries to push enhanced and tailor-fit public health education.

Salimbangon concluded, “We’re proud to be partnering with a government agency that helps in curbing this pandemic. It’s truly a challenging year, but it never ceases to amaze me what the human spirit can do.