SEC. ANDANAR: Pilipinas, welcome to Cabinet Report. Ako po si Secretary Martin Andanar ng Presidential Communications Operations Office. Sa programang ito, bukod sa mga detalye ay bibigyan natin nang pansin ang mga plano at istratehiya ng ating pamahalaan, ng Gabinete at ng ibang mga task force at sangay ng gobyerno.

Here at Cabinet Report, we want to focus last on what, where and when which we hear in the news throughout most of the week and more on the why and the how of the work of government.

Ang hangad natin dito ay maintindihan natin ang mga gawain ng gobyerno para sa kapakanan ng lahat.

Ngayong gabi, balikan natin ang nakaraan, ang kasaysayan. Balikan natin ang mga pandemya na hinarap ng mundo at kung papaano ang mga ito nasugpo. Fast forward naman tayo sa kasalukuyan. Makakausap natin si Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian upang malaman ang naging karanasan ng kaniyang bansa. Sila ang unang tinamaan ng COVID-19 ngunit sila rin ang masasabi nating unang naka-recover. Ano ang kanilang ginawang tama na maari nating tingnan at suriin kung angkop bang gayahin dito sa Pilipinas.

Makakapanayam din natin si Office of Civil Defense Administrator at NDRRMC Executive Director Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad. Sila ang ahensiya ng gobyerno na inatasang mamahagi ng mga medical equipment, maging donation man ang mga ito o binili ng pamahalaan. At para gumaan naman nang konti ang mood bago tayo mag-weekend ay makakausap po natin si DJ Loonyo. Lahat ng iyan ngayong gabi sa Cabinet Report.

Ang tinaguriang kauna-unahang pandemya sa mundo ay unang naramdaman sa Egypt noong 541 A.D. dala ng mga daga at pulgas ang bacteria na sanhi nito. Noong 542, ito’y umabot na sa Constantinople na ngayo’y tinawag na Istanbul, isa sa mga pangunahing lungsod ng Turkey at kumalat sa noo’y Roman Empire pati na mismo sa Roma. Tinawag ang pandemic na ‘The Plague of Justinian’ sa ngalan ng Kristiyanong Emperor ng mga Romano na si Justinian. Nagtagal ang pandemyang iyon nang mahigit dalawandaang taon. At noong matapos, tila nagbago na; nawala ang malaking bahagi ng Roman Empire at umangat na ang isang bagong relihiyon, ang Islam.

Ang epekto po ng pandemya sa kasaysayan ay hindi matatawaran. Hango sa visual capitalist, ang pinakamalalang pandemya kung babasehan ang bilang ng namatay ay ang Black Death o Bubonic Plague na tumagal mula 1347 to 1351 sanhi ng bacteria na tulad ng Plague of Justinian dala ng mga daga at pulgas na pumatay ng tinatayang dalawandaang milyong katao.

Susunod ang smallpox na ikinamatay ng 56 million katao noong 1520. 500 years ago ang Spanish Flu noong 1918 hanggang 1919 ang Ikatlo sa dami ng nabiktima, 40 to 50 million ang estimate. Ikaapat ay ang nabanggit na, the Plague of Justinian, at ang ikalima ay ang pandemya ng HIV-AIDS na mula 1981 nakapatay na nang mula 25 hanggang 35 million katao.

Bakit natin pinag-uusapan ang mga nakaraang pandemya? Ito’y dahil gusto nating intindihin ang mga ito nang mayroon tayong magagawang paghahanda sa pagharap sa COVID-19 at kung ano pa man ang maaaring maging kasunod nito. At Pilipinas hindi sa nananakot, kundi kung titingnan natin ang kasaysayan, bumabalik-balik ang mga ito.

Anu-ano ang maituturo ng nakaraan?

Marami. Una, na matagal na palang ginagamit ang istratehiya na quarantine. Nagsimula ang quarantine sa mga Port City ng Ragusa na ngayo’y Dubrovnik sa Croatia na kontrolado ng mga Venetian noong 1377. Dahil sa nabanggit na Black Death o Bubonic Plague ay napagpasyahan ng mga barko na galing sa mga lugar na sumailalim sa plague ay ‘di muna sila makatuloy sa daungan hanggang ‘di natapos ang isolation nang tatlumpung araw. Ito’y naging apatnapung araw o ‘quarantino’ sa salita nila at doon nagsimula gamitin ang istratehiya ng quarantine.

Pangalawa, ang susi sa tinatawag nilang flattening the curve o ang pagbagal ng pagkalat ng virus ay social distancing. Sa isang artikulo sa National Geographic magazine tungkol sa nabanggit na Spanish Flu, ibinahagi ang mga research results tungkol sa mga siyudad sa America na nagpatupad ng social distancing matapos tamaan ng Spanish Flu. Ang lumabas, ang lungsod na nagpatupad ng social distancing nang maaga at matagal noong 1918, ang New York, ay ang siyang nagkaroon nang mababang death rate. Ang mga sandali lang o ‘di kaya’y maagang binitiwan ang social distancing ay mas mataas ang mga death rate.

At pangatlo, mukhang padalas na nang padalas ang pagkalat ng pandemya. Sa infographic ng Visual Capitalist noong 20th century, apat ang naging major pandemics. Ang Ikaapat ang HIV-AIDS na hanggang ngayon patuloy pa ring ikinamamatay ng tao. Ngayong 21st century, nakakalima na tayo kasama na ang COVID-19. Bagaman aminado ang mga eksperto na mahirap ang pag-aaral ng mga pandemya, maari rin sigurong matuto sa mga karanasan ng mga dumaan na sa mga ito.

Sa usaping COVID-19, masasabi nating may kaunting kalamangan ang China. Nauna silang tamaan ng pandemya at nauna rin silang makabangon mula sa krisis na ito. Ano ang kanilang karanasan at ano ang ating matutunan?

Good evening, Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian. Thank you for accepting our invitation to the show tonight.

CHINESE AMBASSADOR XILIAN: My pleasure.

SEC. ANDANAR: Right now, the entire country is under a state of national emergency and throughout Luzon, we are under Enhanced Community Quarantine. It doesn’t seem too long ago now that China itself was staring COVID-19 in the face. Now things are much better in your country Mr. Ambassador. You’re moving back to normal and you’re now even sending assistance and expertise to other countries like the Philippines who are still in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. We’d like to learn from China’s experience with the pandemic, and let’s begin with this Mr. Ambassador. What are the three things that China did right in your fight against COVID-19?

CHINESE AMBASSADOR XILIAN: Thank you Secretary for your question. Yes, I think that in China, the darkest moment seems to have passed. In the past few weeks, there are few local cases, of confirmed cases. Although there are still some kind of imported infections. Yes, to share with you, I think that’s—in our fight against epidemic there are few things we think are very important to break the transmissions of COVID-19, of the coronavirus.

One is the lockdown measures, as have been taken by your government. The lockdown measure has been very vital in, you know, containing the spread of the coronavirus. Second is the massive testing. We have conducted massive testing to make sure that all people of confirmed cases and all those with symptoms be tested. And those confirmed ones be hospitalized. Number three is the strict quarantine; a strict quarantine is very important to make sure that the disease will not spread further. And number four is timely treatment, you know, all those need it be treated in the hospital, be admitted to hospital. I think that’s the four major, you know, elements for our practice. Thank you.

SEC. ANDANAR: There must have been some missteps along the way. What were these and how can the Philippines avoid them?

CHINESE AMBASSADOR XILIAN: I think that’s—first of all, the lockdown, you know, that’s a major… it has to be taken very strict way you know to minimize that kind of risk of transmission. And quarantine also, you know that in China we implement it, you know that kind of quarantine in designated localities like the hospitals and some kind of hotels and even cabin hospitals. And you know, this is a way to also to minimize that kind of transmission and it has to be implemented in a very strict way otherwise it might cause a kind of cluster, you know, transmission at home or in the community. So I think that’s something could be…you know, some kind of lessons we can learn from this process.

SEC. ANDANAR: Mr. Ambassador, you mentioned lockdown, massive testing, treatment, quarantine. In battling COVID-19, how important were social distancing, physical distancing and wearing a face mask? I ask for this because these are things that, though they may be mandated by the state, ultimately the success of this rest largely on the cooperation of individual citizens.

CHINESE AMBASSADOR XILIAN: Obviously, social distancing is the key word in our combat against COVID-19 especially for personal behavior. And we have done a great deal of job in… we raised that kind of awareness of the public to follow that kind of social distancing including wearing mask and all that keeping distance personally and to wash hands, you know it’s constant, you know that’s quite often. And also know that’s—stay at home as much as possible. All those measures are very important to protect people personally and also to protect the other people largely.

SEC. ANDANAR: We thank you for China’s gracious and generous donation of medical supplies and your lending of expertise by way of sending your doctors over here in our country. What was their impression and their assessment of the situation here?

CHINESE AMBASSADOR XILIAN: Ah yes, since you know China and the Philippines, it’s neighbors and brothers, you know we have been helping each other in difficult times. So I think that the Chinese government decide to send, dispatch the medical team to Philippines to help you to combat COVID-19. And I’m happy to see that even they are two weeks staying in your country, they have worked round the clock to meet people, to visit hospitals and other medical organizations and to share experiences of China and best practices of China without reservation to the Philippine friends.

And I think, according to my understanding, you know, after their two weeks visit here, their view is that the government of the Philippines has taken a positive, proactive and effective measures to combat the COVID-19. That’s their general assessment of your measures.

SEC. ANDANAR: As we look at the near future and the Philippines already planning what will happen after the Enhanced Community Quarantine? Meaning, rebuilding the country, rebuilding the economy. We would like to know how Hubei province is doing now as it starts rebuild again and to open its province and the cities to normal business. Can you tell us the life in the Hubei now or the life in Wuhan?

CHINESE AMBASSADOR XILIAN: Ah yes, Wuhan was reopened to the public and on the 8th of April this month, and you know that people’s lives are in back to normal. But you know, we have to do it in a gradual way including the resumption of work and reopening our schools. You know, we have to make sure that everything will be done in an orderly way and because you know, although you know that’s—there was very few additional new confirmed cases in Hubei Province and in Wuhan, but there is still a risk of you know that kind of imported infections and also some kind of asymptomatic infections.

There are two new major challenges ahead of us, so we have to take, you know, cautious approach to resume the work and also reopen the schools and other public places. And you know, that’s social distancing still being practiced in you know this part of the country so that’s to minimize any possible risk.

SEC. ANDANAR: Do you have anything more to add Mr. Ambassador that you’d like to share the audience?

CHINESE AMBASSADOR XILIAN: Ah, yes. Since outbreak of the epidemic in the Philippines, you know that we have been working very hard to help your country to fight against this, you know, pandemic. And we have donated three batches of medical supplies in your country including ventilators, testing kits and PPEs. And I think there will be more to come and apart from government donation, Chinese enterprises, local governments have also donated millions of PPEs and some medical supplies to your country.

And second is that, as we mentioned just now, we send a medical team to just few countries in this region and Philippines is one of the few countries who has received the medical teams from China. And we hope that, you know their experiences and best practices and also the recent report by the medical team will be useful for you to take further measures in the future to come combat COVID-19.

And number three, we also try our best to assist the Philippines to purchase you know medicines and other medical supplies in China. And you know we have given a very special permits to the military airplanes from the Philippines to go to China to transport those medical supplies from China. And for your information, we also have given special permits for the naval ship from your country to go to my hometown Zhangzhou (?) to pick up those medical supplies from China. And also we have instructed our, you know, factories to produce abundance medicines for the need of Philippines, to prioritize the supply to the Philippines in such a way.

And as good friends, we will continue to do our best to help this country to you know, overcome the difficulties you have. And let’s work together and continuously and we are very confident under the leadership, a strong leadership of your government and best efforts of the people you work. You know, win over the battle at your earnest date. Thank you.

SEC. ANDANAR: Thank you so much Mr. Ambassador. We indeed appreciate your generosity, the generosity of the People’s Republic of China and we will also be learning more from your experiences especially in the reintegration in the opening up of the economy once more. So there’s so much to learn from Wuhan and from Hubei Province. Thank you so much, Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian.

CHINESE AMBASSADOR XILIAN: Thank you and one more thing to share with you, that’s diplomats from my embassy have prepared one song depicting the kind of cooperation and mutual support between China and the Philippines in our fight against the epidemic. I hope you enjoy it.

SEC. ANDANAR: Thank you so much. We should be playing that song. Again, thank you for accepting our invitation to guest on the show and hope to see you during better days.

CHINESE AMBASSADOR XILIAN: Thank you. Look forward to that, thank you.

SEC. ANDANAR: All right, thank you Ambassador.

[PLAYING FILIPINO-CHINESE SONG]

SEC. ANDANAR: Ang ating susunod na guest ngayong gabi ay isang tubong Bohol, Boholanon. Nagtapos siya sa Philippine Military Academy noong 1983 at nagsilbi nang 32 years sa Philippine Army kung saan ang huli niyang posisyon ay sa 5th Infantry Division sa Isabela province. Marami siyang master’s degree na may kinalaman sa national security kaya gamay niya ang pangunguna sa disaster management at civil defense.

Kasama natin via a zoom ang Executive Director ng National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council at Administrator ng Office of Civil Defense, Undersecretary Ricardo B. Jalad. Magandang gabi po sa inyo, sir.

USEC. JALAD: Magandang gabi, sir; magandang gabi sa ating mga kababayan.

SEC. ANDANAR: Regular po ba ang pagre-report sa inyo ng mga PDRRMC tungkol sa pagbibigay nila ng tamang kaalaman para makaiwas sa COVID-19?

USEC. JALAD: Ang direktang nagre-render ng report sa atin iyong ating mga regional offices ng Office of Civil Defense at sila naman ay kumukuha ng reports galing sa mga Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management offices. And iyong ating kasing mga regional directors sa Office of Civil Defense ay sila rin ang head or chairperson ng mga Regional Task Forces, except lang for Metro Manila and BARMM and Region XI. Ito kasi sa Metro Manila at saka BARMM ay nandoon sa RA 1012 and ang head ng kanilang mga Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council like for Metro Manila, iyong chairman ng MMDA; and for BARMM ay iyong Chief Minister.

And iyong Region XI naman nauna silang nagtatag ng regional task force doon and iyong tatlong councils doon na existing, iyong peace and order council, regional development council at saka iyong Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council nagkaroon ng agreement na ang head ng kanilang regional task force ay si Mayor Sara Duterte. So, okay lang naman din iyan sa National Task Force.

But in all other regions, ang heads ng regional task force ay iyong ating regional directors ng Office of Civil Defense and mayroong silang mga situational reports na sinusumite dito sa NDRRMC operation center, na siya ring operation enter ng kasalukuyang National Task Force.

SEC. ANDANAR: Usec, paano ang monitoring ninyo ng situation lalo na sa pagse-set up ng quarantine facilities, hindi kasi natin masyadong naririnig ang OCD, a very silent but lethal worker, kadalasan ay DOH or LGU ang nasa scenario?

USEC. JALAD: Lahat ng LGUs, kasisimula pa palang nitong pandemic ay naatasan ng DILG na mag-set up ng kanilang sariling quarantine facilities. So mga maliliit lang ito at reported naman ito sa ating situational reports kung ilan iyong na-establish nationwide.

But mayroon tayong malalaking quarantine facilities na ang pag-establish or repurpose ay nationally led ano. For example, dito sa Metro Manila, operating na iyong Ninoy Aquino Stadium, soon to operate itong Rizal Memorial Coliseum and then iyong PICC and World Trade Center. Ang mga ito shall be operated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and PNP Health Units. Mayroon pang ibang ongoing ang repurposing, itong Philippine Arena at saka Ultra in Pasig and dito sa Muntinlupa diyan sa Filinvest.

So, ito iyong mga malalaking makikita natin na mga quarantine facilities—at mayroon pa akong nakalimutang banggitin, dito naman sa New Clark Green City, ng BCDA nagtayo din, nag-repurpose ng existing facilities nila para gawing quarantine facilities.

So, in all other regions ay mga maliit lang na mga facilities, iyong iba ay gumamit ng mga evacuation centers na constructed ng DPWH, ito ay makapag-accommodate ng around 200 people per building.

So, iyon po ang ating mga established na quarantine facilities. So, in other works, all throughout nation, mayroon tayong nakakalat na mga quarantine facilities na puwede nating gamitin to isolate confirmed cases of COVID. Lalo na iyong mga asymptomatic and with mild cases na hindi naman kinakailangan na dalhin sa ospital.

SEC. ANDANAR: Ano ang pagkakaiba, ano ang diperensiya ninyo sa ibang ahensiya na nakatutok din to insure that the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act is being implemented? Ang DILG, National Task Force on COVID, ang PNP at AFP ay mayroon ding ganoong function.

USEC. JALAD: Well, ang Office of Civil Defense kasi sa structure ng National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, isa siyang member at ito ang overall coordinator within the NDRRMC. At ang National Task Force natin ngayon is basically ito rin iyong National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council. Ang wala lang sa function niya ay iyong policy-making dahil ang Inter-Agency Task Force on Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases headed by Secretary Duque ay nandoon ang policy-making function.

Operational at saka iyong implementation, coordination, collaboration ay nandoon iyong sa National Task Force also know as National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

So ang OCD, one, it mans the operation center of the Task Force. it collects information or reports from the regional task force and render the situational report to chairperson and Chief Implementer. And likewise mayroon siyang additional duties specifically assigned by the President and the Chief Implementer, iyong pag-coordinate or pag-consolidate ng mga donations, pag-deliver ng mga donations and other supplies that we are procuring for use in this was against COVID.

So ang function mainly ngayon ng Office of Civil Defense ay parang forwarder or logistics arm ng National Task Force and of course nandoon na rin iyong dating monitoring, coordination, collaboration and reporting.

So, hindi kami katulad ng DSWD na talagang bumababa doon sa ground o doon sa mga barangay to deliver the assistance; kami ay nagpaparating ng supplies and logistics to the agencies involved in the implementation of the National Action Plan for COVID, like iyong PPEs or Personal Protective Equipment ay binibigay, dinadala namin sa mga hospitals through our regional offices, ganoon na rin sa ibang mga agencies ano. So, iyon ang binibigyan namin, iyon ang aming mga kliyente at hindi kami iyong pumupunta doon sa mga barangay.

SEC. ANDANAR: Ayan, so mas malinaw na ngayon Usec Jalad, operations kayo; iyong IATF ay policy-making.

Pagdating sa mga donasyon, kayo ang nasa logistics, sa inyo binabagsak, pero hindi kayo iyong naghahatid doon sa mga beneficiaries.

Kayo po ay inatasan ni Presidente Duterte na pangasiwaan nga ang pagtanggap ng mga donasyon, napakadami nito, donasyon, kasama na rin pagbili ng medical equipment para sa mga frontliners sa inyo rin binabagsak. Papano po ito na-account, Usec. Jalad, para po malaman ng mga kababayan natin?

Kasi mayroong nagsasabi na iyong mga donasyon ay kung sana-saan napupunta, hindi alam, may mga nagsasabi na huwag ibigay sa OCD, ibigay sa private foundations.

Ano po ang inyong masasabi tungkol po diyan, papaano po na-account ito, Undersecretary Jalad, sir?

USEC. JALAD: Mayroon kaming daily reporting din on the donations received and forwarded or distributed. Well, sa monitoring talagang hindi pa tayo talaga high-tech but mayroong tumutulong sa atin ngayon, iyong developer ng safe… iyong safe application ‘no and hopefully kapag nai-launch natin ito, online na iyong ating monitoring. Any donor can just log in to the system and indicate their donations. We can either accept them or not and then facilitate transportation, para na siyang Grab.

But as of now ay very manual ang ating monitoring. The donors will call us or email us and then we will pick-up or receive the donations, send them to the receiving agencies or iyong donor din may option to directly send or deliver their donations sa identified [SIGNAL FADE] agency.

Doon sa procurement ng equipment, when it comes to procurement, ang main procurement arm natin actually is the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management or PS-DBM.

On a limited amount, mayroon ding nabibili ang Office of Civil Defense like for example [SIGNAL FADE] noong bago nagdatingan iyong bulk procurement from China ay may mga nabili rin tayong mga PPEs and other items, iyong mga consumables like alcohol, mga ganoon.

But ang main procuring arm talaga natin is the PS-DBM kasi nandoon na kaagad sa PS-DBM ang pondo, ang funds naman ng Office of Civil Defense utilizing quick response fund ay very limited. We cannot procure that much number of PPEs na katulad na binibili ngayon ng PS-DBM.

SEC. ANDANAR: My last question, USEC. JALAD: The efforts that your office is doing right now is in a scale of unimaginable proportions. Alam natin ang Pilipinas ay nasa Pacific Ring of Fire, tayo ay daanan ng bagyo taon-taon; iyong inyong opisina nandiyan, kayo po ay staple na sa telebisyon, kilalang-kilala kayo as the head of the NDRRMC kapag mayroong lindol, may bagyo, may volcanic eruption.

Pero usually itong mga ganito ay limited lang in a specific region, Region 2 or 3. Pero ito ngayon po ay buong bansa ang inyong minamanmanan. Ano po ang inyong naging initial reaction – ng NDRRMC noong sinabi ni Presidente buong Luzon ECQ tapos maya’t-maya ay iyong Bayanihan Heal as One Act ay kailangang bigyang ayuda ang Pilipinas. Ano po ang naging inisyal na reaksiyon ng inyong kagawaran at ano po ang inyong ginawa para po kayo ay maka-adopt sa sitwasyon?

USEC. JALAD: Well, una kong inisip doon, napakabigat na trabaho. Hindi ito katulad noong mga nadaanan natin na mga disasters. Sabi ninyo nga ay usually limited size ng region lang or a portion of the region. Iyong recent experience ng bansa, iyong Yolanda for example, hindi naman buong Pilipinas ang apektado noong Yolanda – all regions in the Visayas plus a portion of MIMAROPA.

Pero dito kay COVID, buong Pilipinas although ang sinubject natin sa ECQ ay Luzon pa lang but nakikita naman natin iyong effect niya ay nationwide at may posibilidad na kumalat din nang mas malaki in other regions. But halos lahat ng region mayroon ng COVID cases.

So, napakahirap na trabaho para gampanan and iyong pag-orchestrate ng responses ng lahat ng mga ahensya ay napakahirap kaya tama rin iyong ginawa ni Presidente na nag-designate ng National Implementer.

Sa atin namang default mechanism sa National Disaster and Risk Reduction and Management Council, mayroon tayong equivalent din niyan ng National Implementer at hindi lang naman ito si USec. Jalad, ang executive director ng NDRRMC, ito iyong Secretary ng DSWD dahil ang DSWD ang lead agency for the response and ang Secretary ng DSWD heads the response the cluster. Siya iyong equivalent ng National Implementer sa COVID for all other disasters kaya lang sa experience nga natin ay hindi naman katulad nito ni COVID na nationwide. Kaya sa kadalasan na experience natin ay dini-delegate lang iyan ng Secretary of the DSWD to any of their USec. and kung minsan nga sa mga meetings hindi USec nga iyong naghe-head.

So, napakahirap talaga nitong… walang—hindi ito katumbas ng disasters na nadaanan natin. Pero mayroon naman tayong machinery na gagamitin diyan. Lahat naman ng regions mayroon tayong structures na established na, iyong ating mga Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council na siya ring Regional Task Force for COVID ngayon and down the line, mayroon ding structure doon sa local government units – sa probinsiya, city, municipality at saka barangay.

So, iyan ang strength natin, iyong inter-agency at multi-stakeholders-approach. Kung iisipin mo kung kikilos lahat ay hindi naman mahirap ang trabaho. At kaya tama ang ating theme doon sa Bayanihan Law, iyong ‘bayanihan.’ Iyan ang isang strength talaga ng Pilipino – iyong bayanihan, tulong-tulong at nakikita nga natin maraming tulong na dumarating. Ang feedback nga ng isang hospital administrator, noong nagsimula nahirapan sila sa supply ng PPEs pero ngayon ay mayroon na silang sapat dahil maliban doon sa supply ng DOH o iyong mga binibili ng PS-DBM at dini-deliver ng Office of Civil Defense ay marami ring nagbibigay from the private sector. So, iyan ang pinakamagandang strength natin, tulong-tulong at kaya palagay ko kakayanin natin itong COVID kung mayroong suporta at kooperasyon ng lahat.

SEC. ANDANAR: On that note, maraming salamat sa inyong panahon, Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad. Good luck po, sir, sa inyong napakabigat na responsibilidad sa OCD, sa NDRRMC and of course, sa ating pagsagupa dito sa isang kalaban na hindi nakikita – itong COVID-19. Mabuhay po kayo, USec. Jalad, sir!

USEC. JALAD: Mabuhay din at maraming salamat!

SEC. ANDANAR: Pagaanin naman natin ang usapan dito sa Cabinet Report. Mula sa kuwentuhan natin tungkol sa COVID-19 at sa mga donasyon ay kausapin naman natin ang isang sikat na social media personality. Sumikat siya lalong-lalo na ngayong panahon ng COVID-19. Nakilala siya dahil sa galing niyang sumayaw at dahil sa pino-post niyang mga dance challenges. We have in the house the TikTok and Facebook heartthrob, DJ Loonyo. Welcome to the show.

DJ LOONYO: Hello! Maraming salamat po. It’s a pleasure to be in this show, maraming salamat po sa invitation.

Now we know you as a dancer, a good dancer, nagdi-DJ ka rin. Pero ang hindi alam ng marami sa ating mga kababayan is that you also have times that you talked to your fans about what you feel, what you feel as a Filipino, as an artist and for example mayroon kang napakagandang sinabi about COVID-19, about how we should all be sacrificing and how we should be following the government, because I believe you’re in China right now—

DJ LOONYO: Yes.

SEC. ANDANAR: Tell us more about this side of yours, this very serious side of yours na kakaunti lang ang nakakaalam.

DJ LOONYO: Sa akin sir ano eh, parati ko talagang pinagdarasal eh. Ever since before—iyong pinaka-misyon ko talaga as a choreographer or as human being is spread light, love and ways to people.

So using my platform sir kasi, maging dapat accountable tayo sa social media eh, hindi puwede iyong kung anu-ano na lang iyong ginagawa natin. And as an influencer, gusto ko na kung ano iyong sasabihin ko, galing sa puso at kaluluwa ko.

So using my experience like firsthand my experience in China, that time that the lockdown that happened in China, sobrang alam ko na if I will tell this to people, given na iyon, maraming hindi makakaintindi, maraming makakatanggap, maraming sasang-ayon pero at the end of day, I just want to speak the truth na kung ano iyong na-experience ko dito sa China, so if may makinig, amen; kung wala, it’s up to you.

So iyon po, parang sa akin ayokong nasasaktan ako na nakikita ko iyong mga kababayan ko or sarili kong bansa na naghihirap kung paano i-handle itong mga bagay-bagay lalo na sa kinakaharap natin na virus ngayon. So I need to speak up, I need to tell the people about what really happened here, kung paano namin i-handle.

And then at the end of the day kung mayroon man po akong maia-advice for the people is this obedience, it’s just obedience and we really need to stay active mentally. Is if iyong utak natin hindi handa, if iyong utak natin is puro fake news, if iyong utak natin is puro walang laman or hindi tayo ganoon ka-updated, then at the end of the day parati tayong magrereklamo, parati nating hindi maiintindihan iyong mga bagay-bagay.

Kaya naman tayo nagrereklamo kasi hindi natin naiintindihan so we need to really, really be accountable sa kung ano iyong pinapanood, pinapaniwalaan natin sa social media.

That’s why I told in my live that I’ve—we need to—kailangan nating piliin iyong right na awareness, hindi iyong basta-basta click din nang click. We need to find the truth in the social media. Research, the virus test has to research more, hindi lang kung ano iyong pinapakain sa TV, hindi lang iyong pinapakita sa TV, but be accountable for yourself. The more you’re accountable to yourself the more you’re responsible to your family. Iyon lang din, as in sobrang puso lang talaga iyong [unclear]…

SEC. ANDANAR: I’ve been following you for about 4 weeks now, tapos napansin ko kasi na dili naman sa sayaw because usay mag-live ka, you really talk sense ‘no. you make a lot of sense and you talk about—you even talked about community quarantine, staying at home so (dialect) anyo nimo na if we can talk about it, about your advocacy so that you can at least ‘no, inspire the youth dire sa Pilipinas, mga (dialect) sila ba.

DJ LOONYO: Yes po. Sa akin sir ano talaga, kasi bago ako nag-live noong time na iyon, like I was really nanonood ako ng news, ano nangyayari sa Philippines and nasasaktan ako sobra noong naririnig ko na sobrang tigas nga ng ulo. And coming from my own experience here in China, na kung paano na-handle ng China iyong nangyari dito sa virus, although it wasn’t perfect but I believe na ang pinaka-talagang nag-handle noon is through obedience talaga.

Iyon lang talaga iyong gusto kong mangyari na can we at least, like mag-teamwork tayo as one nation, isang bagsakan tayo na sacrifice para matapos na lahat ng nangyayari. Kasi ayaw naman nating magdusa or ayaw naman nating humaba. Wala namang gustong humaba itong quarantine na ‘to kasi lahat talaga apektado, hindi lang mahihirap, lahat ng status ng pamumuhay, mayaman ka man, walang pinipili itong challenge na kinakaharap ng buong mundong ito.

So I think the best way to fight this virus is to decide in ourselves na we need to be responsible and accountable sa lahat ng ginagawa natin, hindi iyong parang nakikipagmatigasan tayo sa gobyerno natin.

Kasi at the end of the day, kung makikipagmatigasan tayo then lahat eh, parang magri-ripple effect iyong katigasan ng tao eh. Kumbaga, kung ako magde-decide ako na makikipagmatigasan ako, iyong kasama ko and then wala, hindi matatapos itong quarantine na ‘to and lahat magsa-suffer, mahihirapan iyong gobyerno natin.

And I believe hindi unlimited iyong resources natin eh, so the more na humahaba itong quarantine na ‘to, the more na mauubusan tayo ng resources, the more na mas maghihirap tayo. I believe kung kailangan ng isang bagsakan na sacrifice na walang tao talaga na lalabas sa daan, then kung nakaya nga namin one month and two weeks na hindi kami lumalabas ng bahay, ‘di ba kaya naman. Depende kasi sa mindset po iyon eh, kung naiintindihan talaga natin iyong punu’t dulo ng puwedeng mangyari, then why not, why hindi natin gawin iyon.

SEC. ANDANAR: All right. You are also credible to speak about how to avoid the coronavirus kasi nandiyan ka nga sa China at na-experience ninyo nga diyan. And there was a time na talagang the whole world was watching China at hindi lang watching pero may halong diskriminasyon, kung anu-ano; at sa western side naman ng mundo sinasabi na hindi sila tatablan. How does it feel right now na kumbaga you are able to surpass, the country, China was able to already go through the problems, successfully nagbukas na ulit iyong Wuhan, Hubei Province, dahan-dahan nang bumabangon? At nakikitia ninyo naman na iyong death toll noong ibang mga bansa na naging, you know, naging prejudiced sa China ay pataas nang pataas. So personally, how do you feel about this?

DJ LOONYO: Kasi bago ako nag-live noon sir, noong pataas pa lang iyong cases, nag-live po ako prior noon, I think it was January nag-live ako. Sabi ko, I heard kasi sa Philippines they are discriminating the Chinese people na kesyo dito nanggaling iyong virus, so iyong mga Chinese people diyan talagang alam nila, nakakaramdam sila nang ganoong klaseng treatment from our kababayan. So nagsalita ako noon na, what if we change? Baliktarin natin, paano ‘pag kami iyong ginanito? Kung ano iyong pinaparamdam natin sa mga Chinese diyan sa Philippines, paano ‘pag iyong Pinoy iyong pinaramdaman ng mga Chinese ng ganoong klaseng treatment?

‘Di ba sobrang—kasi ganoon iyon eh, kung paano natin i-treat iyong isang tao, puwedeng ganoon din iyong ibalik sa atin. So my point is—siguro kasi we were too comfortable sa nangyari before. Ang inakala kasi natin is parang, alam mo iyon, inakala po nating lahat na pang-China lang talaga or sa China lang talaga iyong virus, kumbaga hindi tayo naging maingat lalo na iyong nagkaroon ng isang case diyan sa Philippines. Iyong mga tao relaxed lang, they are still going out.

Kasi noong—we should learn from other country’s experience lalo na sa China, na kami kasi noong nangyari iyon, ganoon na ganoon din, hindi kami naniwala. Second week ng December ang dami pa ring tao sa subway kahit tumataas na iyong cases noon kasi hindi binale-wala iyong effect ng virus. Kaya tumaas siya kasi dahil sa pagiging komportable dahil hindi naniwala doon sa government, dahil hindi naniwala agad na ganito kalakas iyong virus na ‘to.

So ngayon siguro sir nakikita ko, I could say China is the safest country right now, sobrang ano… Right now, we’re allowed already to go out without mask, and then the public places are already open and even the social distancing hindi na kailangan, as in sobrang open. Like even our company right here which is a dance studio, we are allowed already to operate, one month na kami nag-o-operate and we’re allowed to magpasok ng maraming tao dito sa studio.

But of course, we still need to follow procedures like health code, kailangan safe iyong health code mo and at the same time disinfect nang disinfect, disinfect. Iyong nangyari ngayon, sir, sa buong mundo sobrang nakakalungkot talaga iyan. I believe talagang pang buong mundo talaga itong problema na ito. I just hope that God will just, in one snap, just wipe this away and the para wala nang mas mahirapan.

SEC. ANDANAR: Nabanggit po kanina DJ Loonyo iyong finding out the truth, the truth out there. And speaking about the truth, napakadaming fake news na kumakalat, hindi lang siguro sa ibang bansa, hindi lang siguro sa China, maging dito sa Pilipinas grabe ang laganap ng fake news to the point that even the President had to talk about fake news and how we should be fighting fake news in one of his speeches. What is your idea or what are your thoughts on fake news?

DJ LOONYO: Kasi iyong fake news kasi, sir, ito personal experience sir ha. We have this clickbait in the social media like the title itself, so iyong title pa lang is ‘clickbait,’ kumbaga parang pain siya, hindi naman talaga iyon iyong pinaka-original content. Kumbaga sa isang kabuuan, iyong kinuha lang ay iyong mali tapos iyon na iyong ginawang headline, and then these people – I don’t know how to call these people – iyong hindi responsable na tao na social media person, just share it and share it, hanggang sa kumalat ng kumalat hanggang nagmu-multiply na ng nagmu-multiply, nagkakaroon tayo ng mas malalang virus kaysa sa corona.

Kasi iyong corona, I believe kayang-kayang… in time mahahanapan ng lunas; pero itong fake news na ito, sir, kagagawan kasi ng tao eh, kumbaga ito iyong mas mahirap kalabanin, the bad intentions, the intentions to pull somebody down and it really corrupts the system, it really corrupts the nation.

So, ang masasabi ko lang dito talaga is we should be responsible kung ano iyong binabasa natin, double check, triple check lalo na alam namin laganap na iyong fake news ngayon. We need to double check, triple check kung ano iyon binabasa natin.

Like for me, if I see this article right here na sinabi ni ganito, titingin pa ako sa ibang article kung totoo ba talaga or I would go for a reliable source. So what is the reliable source, siyempre depende, may kaniya-kaniya tayong basehan ng reliable source natin, but I go for those people that may credibility iyong sinasabi, hindi iyong itong tao na ito dahil sikat lang, tapos nakita mo iyong mga pinagsasabi niya ay puro fake, fake, fake. So, why would I listen to this guy. Of course, I need to follow kung ano iyong pinaka-reliable or credible talaga, or the President.

I am in favor of the President and I believe that the President is really into… the top situation right now. Kung ako siguro ang nasa situation or kahit sino ang nasa situation niya, na kinakaharap ng Presidente, alam ko mahirap at mahirap at mahirap talaga. So kaysa pahirapan natin iyong Presidente, throwing him a lot of stones, throwing him kung anuman iyong binabato nila. Dapat piliin muna nating maging accountable sa sarili natin bago tayo bumato laban sa Presidente natin, sa kapwa natin. I believe doon magsisimula, we need to restore your mind, we need to restore respect, we need to restore obedience and everything, kasi ang hirap.

Fake news pinakamalalang virus iyon sa buong mundo. And it might destroy the whole world just because of this fake news.

SEC. ANDANAR: Humanity, respect, obedience, three big words na nabanggit mo ngayun-ngayon lang, at fake news can destroy the entire world. Ikaw mismo ay biktima ng disinformation, nakita ko sa one of your post na nagpapatulong ka na hanapin iyong tao na kunwaring ikaw.

DJ LOONYO: Yes, sir. People nowadays are just too… I don’t know… corrupted in their heads.

SEC. ANDANAR: Perhaps with your influence DJ Loonyo baka puwede kang gumawa ng isang dance challenge to fight fake news.

DJ LOONYO: Kung doon pupunta iyong energy, sir. Kasi when I make a dance challenges, I don’t make it because I want the people to love it, it’s because of… before I make a challenge like even the frontliners dance challenge ipinagdasal ko iyon ng sobra, like I need to find the right song, I need to mix the right song and everything.

For this one, for the fake news, if God directs me to this kind of energy, then why not, kasi importante na magamit. Kasi I’ve been praying that God give me a platform that I can inspire a lot of people, spread light to people. So why not if God directs me to this kind of energy, I would love to do it, I would really say yes about it.

SEC. ANDANAR: Yes, and let us know, so that we can inform the entire government that you are doing this for your country. Para maipalabas natin sa ating national television, maipalabas natin sa ating mga teleradyo sa ating mga social media pages ng gobyerno.

I believe that you will really inspire the children to work with you to fight fake news. I think that is very important. We need a voice, like your voice. Any last words for your fans, for the Filipinos who are watching tonight.

DJ LOONYO: Sir, I would like to take this opportunity to of course, maraming salamat sa program na ito and kasi itong program pampa-balanse sa akin, kumbaga mayroong kulit, mayroong showbiz na dating, ito iyong pinakaseryoso doon na side.

Maraming-maraming salamat po sa tiwala and at the same time sa lahat ng fans, sa lahat ng mga sumusuporta at nagmamahal sa contents and video or kung anuman iyong ginagawa ko, I really do appreciate all the love and support and I’m really inspired to do more, share more and love more and then to my fellow kababayan, iyong mahal kong Pinoy, Pilipino, mahal kong bansa, please let’s be obedient, we need to… kailangan nating hugutin iyong rason kung bakit kailangan nating mag-stay sa bahay. Kailangang nating—I believe kung huhugutin talaga natin iyon, tinitingnan natin iyong pamilya, kahit titingnan mo lang iyong pamilya mo kung lalabas ka, you are really prone to that virus and then babalik ka sa bahay mo hahawaan mo lahat, di ba parang kailangan mong hugutin, ayaw mong mangyari iyon.

So, if I were you team work as one family, this virus is teaching as to do more, hindi lang sa pera, hindi lang sa pagkain, but it teaches us to do more the inner side of ourselves, kasi the more na find that inner side of ourselves, the more na nagkakaroon tayo ng ilaw sa utak natin, the more na hindi tayo puro complain ng complain.

So iyon lang please be obedient, respect and of course sa mga blessed natin na kababayan, please this is the time to share, hindi ito iyong time maging selfish and I believe if you will share lalo na sa panahon na ito, God will give it back to you ten times fold, iyon lang po.

And hihingi lang po ako ng kaunting tulong, kasi as of now, this is a perfect moment, kasi as of now, as the CEO of this company, I bought 30,000 mask, surgical mask here and we just have problem on how to ship it going to Philippines, kasi iyong China naghigpit and then I believe the frontliners really needs these masks. So as of now, outside we have these 30,000 surgical mask and we just have this problem on how to deliver it. So iyon po sana may government agency na kaya kaming matulungan po ako na ma-send po ito sa lahat ng ospital na nangangailangan po. Iyon po buong puso po na pagmamahal from China to Philippines.

SEC. ANDANAR: Sige, DJ Loonyo kakausap lang natin kay Ambassador ng China before we talked to you at ang ating hepe ng NDRRMC at OCD Undersecretary Jalad, Ipaparating natin sa kanila ang iyong request mai-ship dito sa Pilipinas iyong 30,000 mask na pinaghirapan mo para maipadala dito kasama na do pati iyong distribution, baka gusto mo ring magpa-distribute doon sa Cagayan De Oro na—

DJ LOONYO: Yes, sir. Sa akin lang po makarating lang po ng Pilipinas, amen na po ako, makarating lang po, maibigay lang po sa mga nangangailangan, amen na po ako.

SEC. ANDANAR: Thank you so much DJ Loonyo and keep on inspiring the youth.

DJ LOONYO: Thank you, God bless po.

SEC. ANDANAR: At iyan ang ating Cabinet Report ngayong gabi. Ipaalala ko po sa inyo, basta’t laging handa at sama-sama, kaya natin ito. Maraming salamat po.

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Source: PCOO-NIB (News and Information Bureau-Data Processing Center)