Some establishments are beginning to remove hazard pays from their employees’ salaries, as if the battle with COVID in the Philippines is already done.
Note that some employees are still not allowed to use public transportation due to safety reasons (e.g., in some food establishments). I heard that some even have an alternate schedule, meaning an employee could only go to work for two weeks in one month (one-week work, two-week rest). I understand why this is necessary, but I hope owners would not take away the pay that serves as a minimal “pampalubag-loob” to our frontliners who are risking their lives for their families.
And then there are people who prioritize dumping white sand into Manila Bay, allowing hundreds of people to gather the area as if there were no fucking health risks. Yes, I am questioning the gatherers’ decision to visit, but more importantly, the event wouldn’t even happen if DENR and other concerned authorities did not use “tourism” as an answer to the country’s problems.
Ano ba, ano ba, ano ba? Where are their priorities? Sigh.
