Social distancing in the most densely populated city on earth

Hello friends!

Join me, Kirsten Han, Jeannette Goon and Norman Chella this afternoon/evening with the Splice gang. We’ll be talking all things freelancing and how the pandemic is having an impact on the industry. Honestly, I can’t believe it’s free because there’s so much to learn from these three what a deal!

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Okay, let’s get into it! Erin Cook

\As of Tuesday, the Health Ministry has reported nine new deaths and 140 newly identified cases, bringing the total to 6,599 cases and 437 deaths. 

This is an interesting broad one from Nikkei Asia Review examining map route data to figure out how strictly social distancing measures are being adhered to. Manila scores fairly well, with far fewer people on the move than in the cities of East Asia. But, as the brilliant reporting from the city shows us, for so many sticking to the policies are life or death in more than one way. 

That data will drop off entirely for Sampaloc, a district in the city, from tomorrow. Mayor Isko Moreno has ordered a 48-hour hard lockdown with residents unable to leave their homes at all. It’s prompted by an outbreak in the community. Residents can expect to see around 344 police officers patrolling the area. Violators will be taken to makeshift jails to stave off infections in the stressed jail system.  

With the Luzon lockdown April 30 end date approaching, senators are hatching a plan on where to next. The most popular sentiment seems to be easing restrictions in areas which have seen few cases and stepping up in others with more. I’ll be following updates on this debate, given that what we could see is a class stratification of the response. 

I’ve been sharing this one from VICE far and wide in the last almost-month. It speaks with Manileños in the early days of the Luzon lockdown, including one man who found himself trapped and sleeping outdoors along the Manila Bay. Rolando Carbonilla told VICE a line that I hadn’t yet heard but has proved to be common across the region and further afield. “Afraid? Yes, we are afraid of the virus, but I think hunger and insanity will kill us first before we die from the virus."

Nearly a month on, conditions haven’t improved for Manila’s most vulnerable. In Quezon City’s San Roque, home to around 35,000 people, work has dried up and the community is desperate. That desperation boiled over at the start of the month into a riot that ended with 21 in prison and riot police. President Duterte responded by telling the police to shoot protestors. “Now is the time to set an example to everybody, I am not used to being challenged. Not me. Let this be a warning to all,” the President said. 

Lynzy Billing has compiled Duterte’s comments and the more egregious examples of his policies in recent weeks for Foreign Policy. She makes a compelling case that while his moves, given his leadership style, are not all that surprising even as they are horrifying but are sparking criticism among even his most avid supporters. The very people who are short-hand for Duterte’s support base — the urban poor — are again at most risk of his violent policies and exploitation of the crisis. 

This is a must-read from Alan Robles. While Duterte’s commentary is scary enough, Robles reports on leaked memos and pieces together previous comments from military and police to provide a clearer picture of where exactly we’re at. “This [is a] natural reaction of the AFP to prepare and deploy when it becomes necessary,” Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Brigadier General Edgard Arevalo said of the memo telling the military to prepare for “strict implementation.” 

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