‘Conspiracy’ angle on COVID-19 persists

By Herbert Vego

 

THE internet media still throbs with “conspiracy” angles on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic that has scared the world to the point of running away from normal life.

Among others, two stand out: First, that the virus was man-made in Wuhan, China to destroy both lives and economies of the United States and allies; and that no less than World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus met with China’s Xi Jinping to discuss the “plandemic” in January 2020.

Second, that American billionaire Bill Gates, in cahoots with Dr. Anthony Fauci (director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases), has committed US $70 million to global efforts to develop and sell anti-COVID

But it is not the aim of this column – not yet – to decide on the truthfulness or falsehood behind the above theories. Let us just briefly dissect the common stand of the World Health Organization (WHO) and our graft-rich Department of Health (DOH) on the “indispensability” of vaccination as the only way to beat the “beast”.

President Duterte recently announced he had arranged for P73.2 billion worth of loans to buy COVID-19 vaccines for at least 60 million Filipinos. But as to whether the majority of Filipinos would fall for it remains doubtful. In fact, if the first batch would come from China, baka mapahiya siya kay friend Xi Jinping.

Why should China benefit from the virus that originated from one of its cities?

Why not prioritize rehabilitating millions of bankrupt businesses and job-deprived individuals instead? Has it not occurred to us that nine months of lockdowns have done more harm to us Filipinos than the feared pandemic?

“Mamamatay kami sa gutom,” wives of job-deprived husbands have been crying.

Indeed, why are our health authorities unmindful of diseases resulting from hunger, anxiety, stress and depression?

Whereas, we get a daily dose of scary COVID-19 statistics from day one to the present. As of yesterday, the WHO “odometer” for the Philippines showed a total of 420,614, of which only 8,173 or roughly two percent of them have died – thus debunking the myth that the disease is incurable and the only hope is the forthcoming vaccine. In a previous column, I cited a DOH report affirming that in the year 2018, a greater number of 75,843 Filipinos died of combined flu and pneumonia.

Therefore, in our country where more or less 1,500 die daily, as reported by the Philippine Statistics Authority, the aforesaid COVID statistics ought not to be alarming.

Assuming, however, that the coronavirus infects as “advertised” – mainly through droplets from or to the nose, mouth and eyes – then we already have done well by wearing a face shield and face mask, and by observing social distancing.

But our neighbor Thailand is doing much better. Despite its capital city of Bangkok being the site of congested mass actions calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Thailand has recorded only 3,922 total COVID-19 cases, of which only 60 have died.

Try replaying the said Thai scenes on TV and you would see many shoulder-to-shoulder rallyists yelling without face shields and masks.

Now, with due respect to contrary opinion, I don’t believe we need bakuna. Kaya ako ay wala talagang planong pabakuna kahit libre.

 

-oOo-

 

CRITICAL VIEW ON THE ‘SUMBONG’ WAY

A lady colleague begs to disagree with the “Jumpers mo, noche buena ko” promo launched by MORE Power to encourage power customers to report neighbors stealing and selling electricity through “jumpers.”

The promo challenges paying customers to report pilferers with at least five “clients” in exchange for a finder’s fee of P3,000 – obviously good enough for a noche buena feast on Chrismas eve.

She questions the idea because it’s akin to pitting neighbors against neighbors, hence a potential risk to the beneficiaries. Why not simply warn Ilonggos against fire accidents, other dangers and disadvantages that could result from overloaded illegal connections?

Well, why not?

But where the safety of prospective whistle-blowers is concerned, we had relayed the matter to MORE President Roel Castro, who said their identity would remain confidential unless they volunteer to stand as witnesses in court.

After all, whatever cases against the suspects would be filed strictly on the basis of evidence, regardless of the reputation of informants.