“I THINK I’ve seen this film before, and I didn’t like the ending.”
The Department of Health (DOH) reported a new case of monkeypox (mpox) virus in the Philippines on August 19, Monday.
On the same day, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) observed volcanic smog coming from the Taal Volcano in Batangas.
2020 all over again?
Just before the COVID-19 pandemic began in the Philippines, the Taal Volcano erupted on a quiet Sunday afternoon in January 2020, ending 47 years of intermittent inactivity.
The volcanic eruption’s health risks forced residents in some barangays and cities near Batangas to evacuate. As they dealt with the disaster’s aftermath, the ongoing pandemic further exacerbated their difficulties.
COVID-19 made its way into the Philippines just as the volcanic crisis was unfolding.
The COVID-19 pandemic hit the Philippines hard, straining its healthcare system. It also caused widespread job losses, economic insecurity, and increased stress, affecting almost every part of daily life.
A few years later, Filipinos felt as if 2020 was repeating itself when reports emerged of the Taal volcano emitting smog while, at the same time, officials had detected a new case of mpox in the country.
These events have led some social media users to suggest that 2020 seems to be “repeating” itself, drawing parallels to similar incidents from four years ago.
In a Facebook post, the Philippine Weather System/Pacific Storm Update (PWS/PSU) posted, “Do you get déjà vu?”, referring to the earlier volcanic and virus crises.
“WHO, declaring mpox a global emergency… South Luzon, having awful air quality because of Taal… I think I’ve seen this film before,” wrote X user Vin Quilop.
Twin perils
On Tuesday, August 20, local government units in Metro Manila and CALABARZON suspended classes due to the effects of volcanic smog, or vog, from the Taal Volcano.
“Nung una hindi siya feel, pero nung gabi na, lumala, saka sobrang visible kasi ang labo ng paligid,” said Faith Pascua, a college student living in Bacoor, Cavite.
“Sa ngayon, may sakit kasi [ako], and lumalala siya dahil sa smog kasi yung hangin, hindi malinis.”
PHIVOLCS reminded the public to be aware of potential hazards such as steam-driven explosions, volcanic earthquakes, minor ashfall, and volcanic gas exposure. They emphasized the need to observe safety precautions.
Christine Belenson, another college student residing in Bacoor, Cavite, expressed concern about the impact of heavy smog on her family’s water delivery business. She explained that the thick smog has made the air look like fog, and she worries it could taint their water supply.
“Yung smog nagmistulang fog na siya sa sobrang dami,” she said.
“Since may water station kami, may challenges and takot lang na baka ma-contaminate ng smog yung water na dine-deliver,” she said.
On Monday, August 19, Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Ted Herbosa warned about the community transmission of mpox after the Philippines reported its first case since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency for the disease.
Herbosa said: “That means the virus, nandito sa Pilipinas. We had nine cases noong 2023, pero pakonti-konti yung nate-test natin.”
Even though the WHO has assured that the mpox outbreak will not be as severe as COVID-19, many Filipinos still remain concerned.
The bottomline
Filipinos’ concerns about these recent news stories are valid, given the seriousness of health issues.
Some may lightly joke about it in humorous contexts, but this crisis is not something that people would want to happen and experience again.
Pascua stressed: “Of course devastated [ako.] For almost 3 years ata nakulong tayo sa mga bahay natin and I missed the outside world so much.”
In addition to being aware of our surroundings and taking care of our health, Filipinos rely on the government to effectively address public concerns. Therefore, it is important to hold them accountable.
“It already happened before eh [pandemic], so kung mangyayari ulit siya today, the government will prove na hindi talaga sila ready sa mga ganitong incident,” Belenson asserted.
The government plays a crucial role in handling these crises and helps minimize their impact on the people.
May the country learn from its past experiences and how they faced such distressing situations, creating a safety net for Filipinos.
With reports from John Cedrix Leppago
