The Public Herald
The official student publication of UP College of Public Health.
Raise of Fist in Defense of Press Freedom
Written by: Geraldine Salunga
Pub by: Ross Ivan Gammad
June 23, 2019
PRESS FREEDOM is the best line of defense for our democracy. It ensures accountability and safeguards the truth amidst uncertainty. As emphasized by Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, it is “the cornerstone of democratic societies.”
But with the current state of our country, is press freedom truly “alive and well” as proclaimed by the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar? Should we just blatantly ignore the fact that the Philippines ranked 134th out of 180 countries in the 2019 World Press Freedom Index?
With reports about media attacks, killings, and harassment, the government’s commitment to the country’s free press remains questionable.
Moreover, the purveyors of fake news—who are supported by the administration—shamelessly continue to sow seeds of confusion and doubt among the public through online and social media trolls. The president, along with his supporters, employ ways to silence and intimidate critics of his administration through blatant attacks on press freedom.
One of the awakening events that alarmingly placed the country’s free press in danger was the recent arrest of Maria Ressa, Rappler’s CEO and executive editor, on an alleged violation of the cybercrime law. However, her arrest did not stop Ressa from being outspoken, and she even said that “No amount of legal cases, black propaganda, and lies can silence Filipino journalists who continue to hold the line.”
Aside from Rappler, the president also has his critical eyes on big media giants such as ABS-CBN, whose renewal he threatened to block due to alleged “swindling”, and the Philippine Daily Inquirer for “biased” reporting.
As the authoritarian administration leads towards violation of our long-fought democracy, we must take an active stand and defend against any forms of attack that suppress the country’s free press and silence the opposition. It is every Filipino’s battle-cry to uphold the freedoms and rights which enable a democratic society to truly thrive.
In line with this, the Public Herald—the official publication of the College of Public Health—continues to serve as a vehicle for public discussion and relaying information by amplifying the voices of the youth and advocating students’ freedom of expression. The publication remains steadfast in its mission-vision to provide the truth, to raise consciousness for academic, social and health-related issues, to take active participation in important current news and most of all, to render the highest level of service to the Filipino community through writing news articles with professional integrity.
With the publication’s core principles of “justice, integrity, respect and honor”, we could establish a unified voice and democratic force that would be "of the people, by the people, and for the people." No superhero can save us unless we raise our fists in solidarity. Vive la résistance!
Looking for the Health in Health Crisis
Illustration by: Prince Rodriguez
April 5, 2020
As claimed by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III last February 27, 2020, the Philippines is one of the “model countries” in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Unfortunately, reality does not reflect this statement as the government’s response to the situation has exposed many gaps in the Philippine health system—the fact that health, in itself, is not prioritized enough.
Analyzing the potential repercussions on foreign relations with China, the Philippine government failed to immediately impose a travel ban between China and the Philippines last January 2020 when the virus was still in its early infective stages. A few months after the first case in the country was confirmed, the situation has even worsened. As of April 5, 2020, the Department of Health (DOH) has reported 3,246 confirmed cases in the Philippines, with 152 deaths and 64 recoveries, as a result of having an underdeveloped public health system mainly due to lack of government support and initiative.
Much of the government’s response so far is centered around the implementation of an ‘enhanced community quarantine’—or lockdown, as it is commonly referred to—and the importance of social distancing. Its purpose is to minimize the spread of disease, but still, having a valid and justifiable rationale does not guarantee the equitability and quality of its execution.
The lockdown comes with its own set of rules. Any respective sanctions must be proportional, but there have been reports of the subjection of violators to punishments such as being locked in dog cages or forced to sit in the midday sun. President Duterte even warned that he "will not hesitate. My orders are to the police and military...if there is any trouble, shoot them dead.” We must question such interventions because even though uniformed personnel, and not health workers, are the ones enforcing the lockdown, the purpose of the lockdown should be to protect and promote the health of the people. Its essence lies in the interest of public health, which becomes lost upon the militarization and authorization of unethical penalties that violate our basic human rights and, subsequently, our health and welfare.
Another issue is the lack of consideration for the economically vulnerable working class. Unfortunately, not everyone has the privilege to stay at home and practice social distancing. The reality is that many people who are economically vulnerable have lost their source of income due to the immobilization of everyday work. As money runs out, the need for food, water, medication, and other resources stay constant. The recent dispute between the police and some residents of Sitio San Roque, Quezon City has already proven that unless the implementation of the quarantine includes the provision of basic needs, it will remain anti-poor and contradictory to the interest of public health. Taking away people’s means of providing for themselves without providing for them in turn is equivalent to a death sentence.
Meanwhile, as the rest of the population is advised to stay at home, health professionals wake up everyday to do the opposite. Each step away from the safety of their homes is already a risk in itself, but the risks amplify even more when facing the battle against COVID-19 with little to no support from the government. Despite the crucial role of the health workers and the need for health-oriented solutions in the face of this health crisis, there are barely any concrete plans regarding the health sector. The government is fond of paying lip service, but as the clock ticks away, issues remain unaddressed and the realizations of its promises are nowhere to be found. Both time and the disease wait for no one; the slower they act, the more people suffer.
One thing that illustrates the government’s lack of support for the health sector is the recent call by the DOH for volunteer health workers who will be assigned to one of the designated NCR COVID-19 referral hospitals and paid Php500 a day. This leads us to the question of why the DOH is calling for volunteers instead of hiring health professionals. These personnel deserve fair compensation and even hazard pay as they will be risking their lives to perform their duties in the midst of this health crisis. It is only appropriate that DOH issued an apology afterwards, since the initial call for volunteerism is a thoughtless, disrespectful, and thinly-veiled attempt at exploitation that reflects how the Philippine government really views health workers in this country—disposable and underappreciated.
Another cause for concern is the fact that many hospitals are already running dangerously low on supplies. The lack of steady access to personal protective equipment (PPE) exposes the vulnerabilities of health personnel in this hazardous situation, which may result in reducing the number of workers in the field as well. The government should swiftly provide hospitals and other health institutions with PPE and other supplies needed. It was recently reported that one million sets of PPE was delivered to the frontliners by the DOH, but questions have been raised regarding the purchase of overpriced sets at P1,800 each, which is over 3-4 times greater than the average price. Donations made by numerous private corporations, non-governmental organizations and public figures have greatly aided the frontliners, but President Duterte recently stated that all donations should be managed by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) for “inventory” purposes. This has caused a number of netizens to express their dissenting views, but who can blame them when this is the same government who has not provided the final breakdown of the Php275 billion budget allotted for this health crisis? Truly, with the lack of equipment, the allegations circling the overpriced PPEs purchased and a call for volunteers instead of hiring professionals, one cannot help but ask, where did the budget go?
DOH initially stated that the lack of testing facilities and shortage of test kits has forced them to establish a protocol to prioritize testing for severe and critical COVID-19 cases. Given these conditions, why is the protocol being violated for VIP testing? Where is the morality in the fact that asymptomatic government officials and their families are immediately tested upon request while symptomatic individuals at greater risk are neglected? Though the government is already en route to acquiring more test kits and converting certain areas into testing and quarantine facilities, still, public health does not discriminate—VIP testing should NEVER be tolerated.
Amidst calls for mass testing and aggressive action by the World Health Organization (WHO) and concerned Filipino citizens, DOH initially made a statement that mass testing is not needed, citing the shortage of testing facilities as a limiting factor. The importance of mass testing is being underestimated. There is a need to clarify its definition, as it does not necessarily mean indiscriminate, door-to-door testing. Mass testing means effective, efficient, and accessible testing that prioritizes frontliners and people with risk factors, symptoms, and possible contact with confirmed cases. Through mass testing, COVID-19 patients can be detected, isolated, and given treatment earlier, resulting in both a lower mortality rate and less disease transmission. After over three weeks of enhanced community quarantine, the government has finally announced that mass testing will be conducted on Persons Under Investigation (PUI) and Persons Under Monitoring (PUM) for COVID-19. The purpose of the quarantine period will be defeated without mass testing. The outcries of the public have forced the government to finally listen, and mass testing will rightfully address the pandemic for what it truly is- a public health crisis.
When the country was crying for concrete health-related solutions and instructions from the government, we were given this instead—“Shoot them dead!”. In the midst of a pandemic, the only firm orders are not medical, but militarized. Since day one, the government’s response has been slow, with little sense of urgency and precaution; it feels as if consequences are welcomed with open arms before they are actually prepared for. This outbreak is being framed as a war against some sort of unseen enemy, when in fact it is a public health issue that cannot and should not be solved with guns and weaponry.
We are experiencing a public health crisis, so why are generals leading the National Action Plan against COVID-19 instead of health experts? Why are officials “competing” against other officials when there is only one real enemy? If it were not for the vehement outcries of the people, would we have gotten as far as finally imposing the mass testing we need? Filipinos tune into the President’s nocturnal press briefings hoping and nearly pleading for any form of concrete answers regarding this health crisis. Instead, we are answered with threats, curse words and left with even more questions. Public health is the art of promoting health, prolonging life and preventing disease, but it seems that at this point, it is displayed as promoting force, prolonging inequity and preventing welfare. It’s a no-brainer that medical problems require medical solutions, so how come we still fail to properly prioritize health in the middle of a health crisis?
PH Health Crisis - Just the Tip of the Iceberg
Written by: Geraldine Salunga
Illustration by: Prince Rodriguez
Februrary 2, 2020
The Pillars of Public Health (Protection, Prevention and Promotion) are at the edge of collapsing.
“The Philippines is facing multiple health emergencies. If left unaddressed and untreated, they could blow up into a full-blown public health crisis in the coming years,” warned by Senator Risa Hontiveros last November of 2019- and she was right.
Last year, our country has suffered from measles outbreaks, the re-emergence of polio, and even a national dengue epidemic after immunization rates plummeted. Now, we are grappling with major public health problems unless the government fulfills its responsibility to “protect and promote the right to health of the people.” Instead, the government seems to always rely on the resiliency of Filipinos while vulnerable communities continue to suffer the most due to lack of preparation and response to health emergencies.
Only within the first month of 2020, our country has already experienced public health challenges that will (probably) continue to happen given the status of our healthcare system and poor governance. The recent eruption of Taal Volcano is just the first of many disasters which poses serious health hazards. Thus, with the Php 4 billion cut from our Calamity Fund, it further pushes our country down into the drain.
Now, an outbreak of the 2019-Novel Coronavirus Acute Respiratory Disease [2019-nCoV] has suddenly emerged in China and is causing mass hysteria across the world, especially in our panic-stricken country. Last Thursday (January 23), the Department of Health [DOH] Undersecretary Eric Domingo announced that our health department is “fully prepared” if ever 2019-nCoV affected the country. However, given the state of our health system—underfunded, understaffed, inadequate health services, etc.—this pill of assurance is not enough. Furthermore, false information in our country tend to spread like wildfire and become an added threat to everyone’s safety. On January 30, the DOH confirmed the first 2019-nCoV case in the country. After three days, another one was reported, though eventually passed away due to the virus—the first death outside of China. Former Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral expected an increase of 2019-nCoV cases in the next couple of days. Meanwhile, Health Secretary Francisco Duque assured the public that the DOH has a “strong surveillance system and quarantine officers are well equipped”, which is even a harder pill to swallow.
The government seems to focus more on diplomatic relationships over the safety of its people. Just a day before the DOH confirmed the first case of 2019-nCoV in the country, the government asserted that imposing travel bans would not be necessary because China “continues to respect the freedom flights that we enjoy”. This reflects the desire of the current administration to preserve its relation to China rather than to act in a logical manner, given the urgency of the situation. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III even emphasized that the 2019-nCov will only have a “minimal impact” on Philippine [economic] growth. "We are a big enough economy that can handle this thing. We are not going into recession because of it," Dominguez said. The World Health Organization (WHO) has already declared the situation as an international concern because of the “potential for the virus to spread to countries with weaker health systems and are ill-prepared to deal with it”. The fact that we are dealing with a public health emergency and yet, the concern is on other matters such as the economy, the military, and even “insults” to sovereignty due to cancelled visas, it is evident that the current priority of the government is not where it is supposed to be. The incompetence of our own government to issue temporary travel bans as a preventive measure at an earlier time has put the health of the entire population in jeopardy.
Filipinos deserve better. It seems that the toxic positivity surrounding the resiliency of Filipinos has been an excuse for the government’s inability to adequately respond to the problems that we are facing. The government should not assume that we have a better healthcare system until it truly prioritizes and protects the health of the people, especially the most vulnerable, given the unfavorable conditions brought about by overcrowded public transportation, inadequate protective medical equipment and an obvious lack of preventive action. Since politics plays a crucial role in determining health, it should always remain faithful in bringing us closer to “Health for ALL”, which is supposedly the main goal of the Universal Health Care (UHC) law.
In the current dire situation of our country, restoring public confidence in the health system will be the biggest challenge as long as we remain in this profit-driven health system. The “Filipino resiliency” will not be enough to combat these threats that bring fear and paranoia, given the insufficient measures the government is taking. This year of 2020, we are just at the tip of the iceberg—if the government does not act now, something much larger underneath may uncover!