The Beginning of a Masked 2020: Remembering Taal Volcano's Eruption

Wazzup Pilipinas!

My heart skipped a beat when I saw Taal Volcano trending and my thought immediately went "Eto na... round 2." *cries*

I got so nervous when I saw this. It's actually not my first to experience the ash fall since I was already around when a volcano exploded causing a similar scenario. I was still so young back then. Not sure if it's the same, must be.

Today is the first year anniversary of the January 12, 2020 eruption of the Taal Volcano in Batangas. After 43 years of repose, it erupted leaving CALABARZON, Metro Manila, and parts of Southern Luzon in ashes.

I remember us being so confused on what to do, since there's still no evacuation announcement.

I was in a rush, more concerned of our car since I've seen how damaging the ashfall was. I wanted my car parked indoors in a hotel or any roofed and enclosed place but then resorted to just buying a car cover. Meanwhile my wife seems calm since she still continued attending an off-site seminar with her officemates.

Encircled area is the southeast part of Taal Island. The approximate location of the northern crater rim of the inner crater lake is at the right side of the circle. The photo is by Andres Alisuag of Bike Scouts.

Where were you when this happened? 

It's been a year since it erupted but still living with the fear that it might happen again. Huwag naman sana.

Feels like yesterday since my city got covered in ashes. That evening of aftershocks and thunder.

I'm still convinced I haven't fully recovered from that, given what transpired after. What a year.

That sunny late afternoon turned slowly into darkness. It reminded me that this was our trial day on wearing face masks.

Winds carried the ash to Manila. I suddenly remember that putrid, sulfur smell that woke us up in the early morning.

The Philippines is almost a year in lockdown as well. But hey, I am still alive and well same as my family. Something to greatly thank about.

Do we really need to commemorate the chapters we had elapsed. From the Taal Volcano Eruption, to the unforeseen pandemic and the storms that went through?

Jusme! Huwag na ninyo ipaalala! Baka mag celebrate sila ng anniversary at maranasan na naman natin uli. Lol!

Why is Duque prioritizing purchase of Sinovac vaccine?

Wazzup Pilipinas!

We're interrupting regular programming by saying Duque should resign. Not just for the coronavirus vaccine, his leadership or lack of it weighed down on the DOH’s pandemic response.

He's incompetent, useless, and has put a risk and will continue putting other Filipinos at risk with his relentless ineptitude.

Duque sealed a deal for 25M doses of Sinovac and if it's PHP3629.50 for 2 doses, they have allotted 45 billion+ for it.

No major Philippine city has picked Sinovac. Not even Davao. 

Only Duque picked it. 

LGUs know better. Duque on the other hand is acting more like Sinovac’s sales agent than he is a health secretary. 

Sinovac is a more expensive and less effective vaccine compared to other choices. According to surveys, it is also the least trusted by Filipinos. Can anyone explain the rationale behind its selection? 

Asking for a pandemic-weary nation.

Tama yung adjective, weary. Sobra nila tayong binombard nang kung anu-anong issue na walang kinalaman sa pandemic.  Ano ba pwede nating gawin? Di pwedeng wala.  Di pwedeng sa pagkakataong ito,  tatahimik na lang. Kalusugan at buhay natin nakataya. Sinusugal nila just to please China?

Alam naman nating lahat ang sagot kung bakit!! Ang masakit lang is kaya nilang isacrifice ang buhay ng Pilipino to please China kahit na andami nang studies na nagsasabi na madaming side effects..

This government will still purchase no matter what. Kahit mag expire sa warehouses like rice. Nothing new & they don't care as long as money flows..

Let’s not overthink. It’s not even wanting to please China anymore. The ph government simply do what they do best— competing with & taunting its people instead of listening to them. Why? Wala lang. Gusto lang nilang mang-inis and secure the upper hand.

Asan ang utak? 

It doesn’t take a genius to know that the better choice is the vaccine that’s less expensive but more effective. There’s a vested interest in there somewhere! 

Duque is more like a Sinovac pharma sales agent, not the health secretary.

Poster Boy for Sinovac Coronavirus vaccine? After failing to sign paperwork with Pfizer, we now know why. This is the worst strategy ever. Very obvious that they want Sinovac to enter the country by intentionally sabotaging our first access to the vaccines.

It's tantamount to Duterte endorsing and promoting human rights after extrajudicially killing so many.

In terms of efficacy:

Moderna: 94.1%

Sinovac: 78%

Pfizer/BioNTech: 95%

Gamaleya: 91.4%

AstraZeneca: 90%

Sinovac has the least efficacy and is second most expensive. It is discombobulating that Duque’s DOH insists on it.

He definitely dropped his balls. Yes. Pun intended. 

Magkano kaya ang commission ni Duque sa Sinovac? Kaya siguro ganyan kamahal kasi may patong na si Duque diyan.

Kahit Astrazeneca nlang sana ang bilhin ng ating government. Halata naman sa list na mas mura at may quality ang Astrazeneca... 

On the other side of the wall (of China.... obviously), here are their reasons:

First, it is one of the few vaccines that will be available soon. The others will be available by the 3rd or 4th quarter of the year. Are yoy willing to wait? 

Second, if we hold out for one brand, will the supply be enough to vaccinate the entire population?

Third, for far flung areas where it will be hard to retain potency for some brands like Pfizer due to its refrigeration reqs, Sinovac or Astra, will be a better choice. 

Lastly, it is already being administered in the Middle East.

Dapat every time may press release ang mga LGU na nag-procure sila ng vaccine, may reporter na magtatanong: "Bakit po hindi Sinovac ang binili natin, Mayor?"

Then maybe these reasons will reach and penetrate the thick skulls of Duque and get into his brain. There is no logical reason whatsoever. You will only be led to believe that they do have something to gain for including Sinovac in the vaccine shopping list.

IDK, seems like Duque's work is actually how to "keep" COVID in the Philippines. Maybe they intend to keep it until 2022 so they could declare a cancellationof election. No election means they get to stay in government.

The joke’s on us because they’re using public funds to procure the vaccines. Whether it’s used or not, they get kickback, we lose.

DOH, ITIGIL NIYO KALOKOHAN NIYO—HOY SOBRANG HALATA NA!

Roque says don't be choosy, avoid colonial mentality in picking vaccine

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Palace spokesperson Harry Roque takes a jab at those who prefer the COVID-19 vaccine of American pharmaceutical firm Pfizer. 

May bakuna na from China. Hindi tayo daw pwede picky. Huwag choosy! Roque said Filipinos cannot choose which vaccine brand they will receive in the government’s vaccination program. 

Roque: “Totoo po, meron tayong lahat na karapatan para sa mabuting kalusugan pero hindi naman po pwede na pihikan dahil napakaraming Pilipino na dapat turukan.”

Roque announced that COVID-19 vaccines developed by China-based biopharmaceutical company Sinovac will start to arrive in the country this February. 

Roque said Filipinos included in the first batch of the government's vaccination program can't choose the brand of COVID-19 vaccine they will receive. 

They may opt not to take the vaccine but they will lose their priority status. 

The issue here is not colonial mentality; it's the procured vaccines' efficacy, and the overall health and safety of millions of Filipinos. Roque's mental gymnastics baffles me every single day.

Colonial mentality has nothing to do w/ picking vaccine. It doesn't matter whether the vaccine is from China, Europe, America, or Timbuktu. What matters is if it is the best for the Filipinos.

It's called logical reasoning. Palibhasa wala sila nun! Only blind obedience from Duterte!

Kung ikaw ba tatanungin, ano bibilhin mo yun low-quality na mahal, o yun mas mababa ang presyo pero de-kalidad.

Huwag mo gamitan ang tao ng co-colonial mentality. 

Mahiya ka naman sa mga pinagdaanan mo bago mo nakuha diploma mo.

Napakarami raw Pilipino na dapat turokan eh bakit doon tayo sa mahal at 50% lang ang bisa at maraming side effects? Bakit hindi doon sa mas mura na mas ma bisa ng kulang 100%? Mas marami tayong mabibili na vaccine kung yung mas mura ang bibilhin.

Paano naging pihikan ang pagpili sa bakuna na mas epektibo? Buhay ang pinag-uusapan dito. Bakit sila ang nasusunod eh tax Naman namin ang ipangbibili ninyo?

Talagang walang sense. Kung ikaw client, magkakanvas ka ng  good quality at ok yong price. Di yong wala na ngang quality mataas pa ang price!

Bakit hindi puwedeng pumili? Nasa communist country na ba ako nakatira o nalahian na tayo ng mga demonyong komunista from China?

Usually, when they say a person should not be choosy, that would be when the person is demanding for something better and more expensive.

In this instance, the people want the less expensive yet more effective product and this regime wants the more expensive, less effective one.

Kasi si Roque, ilulusot hanggat kaya ilusot..saan kaya kumukuha ng kapal ng mukha yan tao na yan. Halata Sobra na mas pabor sila sa gawang China dahil siguro may kickback sa Sinovac.

Kasi, merong kumita! Putang inang Korapsyon sa Pilipinas, sukdulan na!

Pumili kayo ng less effective, more dangerous, and lastly more expensive. Hindi nga kayo pihikan, hindi naman kayo praktikal. If you're talking about quantity, sinovac should be the last choice. Wala talagang reason to choose Sinovac, so anong pinagsasasabi mo?

Yung totoo, Roque. Mukhang nakatali na ang gobyerno sa China. Malamang ang laki ng utang ni Duterte kung pwede lang palitan na niya apelyido niya o baka nauna na yung citizenship niya!

Civil. Liberty. I should have a choice. No one should take it away from me. At hindi dahil pihikan ako. Pero dahil sa hindi iniisip ng gobyerno ang makakabuti sa akin. I have a right to protect myself. Even from the government.

We cannot compromise when it comes to health! Bakit ninyo ipinagpipilitan ang galing sa China eh ang dami negative news about it!

Pera ng taumbayan ang ginamit para mabili yan o kung inutang man kami din ang magbabayad kaya may karapatan kaming mamili.

With Roque as the ubiquitous woofer of lies & stupidity, Debold Mananita Sinas as the epitome of arrogance, & now, just in, Vitaliano Aguirre as the new Commissioner of Napolcom, ensuring that every Police Officer is 'above' the Law - if not THE Law, what else can you expect of Duterte's government?

But wait, there's more:

1. Koko Pimentel's quarantine breach

2. Mass gatherings c/o Mocha Uson, Manny Pacquiao, Harry Roque

3. Duque's incompetence as head of DOH

4. P15B PhilHealth corruption

5. Smuggled & Illegal Vaccines

6. Alan Peter Cayetano's unliquidated P2B SEA Games funds

HUWAG KALIMUTAN.