Economic development status impacted how COVID-19 affected China, Japan, and the Philippines
By Jadenne Radoc Cabahug
This podcast features citizens from China, Japan, and the Philippines and their views from on the ground when the pandemic first took hold in their countries. Varied cultural and economic contexts shaped government responses in aspects like public transportation, education, and if COVID-19 tests and vaccines were largely available to the public.
Debbi Jiang is from Chongqing Southwest city in China. She studies at the University of Washington although due to the pandemic, she had to stay in her home country. Debbi felt strongly about how her country’s government reacted to the disease outbreak.
“Actually, I think they [Chinese government] have done a very good work on this problem because so far, China has been the safest country in the world right now,” Debbi said. “We can even go out without a mask. But basically, in my city, everyone feels very safe. And most of my friends have gotten the vaccine.”
Tye Coleman is from the Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan. He also attends the University of Washington and had to stay in his home country due to the pandemic. Unlike Debbi, Tye felt differently about the way the Japanese government handled and is currently handling COVID-19.
“To be honest, I think we should do more. Because right now, they just announced the third state of emergency,” Tye said. “But before that, they didn't do anything for two months.”
Janine Radoc works at a call center in the Philippines. During the initial outbreak of COVID-19, she lived in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. She moved to Roxas City in Capiz, further south in the central islands of the Philippines. Janine is the aunt of the author, and she expressed that COVID-19 impacted the Philippines brutally as a developing nation.
“I am not expecting too much. I know the status of our country, of the economy, so I wouldn't be surprised if we’re last on everything. We’re last to get testing, we’re last to get the vaccine,” Janine said.
This podcast will put into perspective the impact COVID-19 had on countries in the Asiatic region through the stories and experiences of these three citizens.
Debbi Jiang is from Chongqing Southwest city in China. She studies at the University of Washington although due to the pandemic, she had to stay in her home country. Debbi felt strongly about how her country’s government reacted to the disease outbreak.
“Actually, I think they [Chinese government] have done a very good work on this problem because so far, China has been the safest country in the world right now,” Debbi said. “We can even go out without a mask. But basically, in my city, everyone feels very safe. And most of my friends have gotten the vaccine.”
Tye Coleman is from the Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan. He also attends the University of Washington and had to stay in his home country due to the pandemic. Unlike Debbi, Tye felt differently about the way the Japanese government handled and is currently handling COVID-19.
“To be honest, I think we should do more. Because right now, they just announced the third state of emergency,” Tye said. “But before that, they didn't do anything for two months.”
Janine Radoc works at a call center in the Philippines. During the initial outbreak of COVID-19, she lived in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. She moved to Roxas City in Capiz, further south in the central islands of the Philippines. Janine is the aunt of the author, and she expressed that COVID-19 impacted the Philippines brutally as a developing nation.
“I am not expecting too much. I know the status of our country, of the economy, so I wouldn't be surprised if we’re last on everything. We’re last to get testing, we’re last to get the vaccine,” Janine said.
This podcast will put into perspective the impact COVID-19 had on countries in the Asiatic region through the stories and experiences of these three citizens.
Transcript
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ACCOMPLISHED THE IMPOSSIBLE.
IT MADE THE WORLD STOP SPINNING, EVEN FOR JUST A MOMENT.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT MIGHT NOT KNOW, THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC BEGAN WITH THE SPREAD OF THE SARS-COV-2 VIRUS WHICH BEGAN IN WUHAN, CHINA, IN DECEMBER 2019, ACCORDING TO THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION.
MY NAME IS JADENNE RADOC CABAHUG, I’M A STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON IN SEATTLE FOR THE COMMUNICATIONS: JOURNALISM IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST MAJOR.
THIS IS A STORY CREATED FOR MY COMMUNICATIONS 360 CLASS FOR MY WEBSITE, COVID-19 AROUND THE WORLD.
THROUGH THIS PROJECT, I HOPE TO COMPARE AND CONTRAST HOW COUNTRIES AND DIFFERENT PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD REACTED TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
THIS PODCAST IN PARTICULAR WILL FOCUS ON THREE ASIAN COUNTRIES: CHINA, JAPAN, AND THE PHILIPPINES.
OTHER STORIES ON MY WEBSITE, INCLUDE DATA GRAPHICS, ARTICLES, AND OTHER COOL JOURNALIST STUFF TO SHOW HOW OTHER PEOPLE IN THE AMERICAS, AFRICA, OCEANA, AND THE MIDDLE EAST REACTED TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
MUSIC.
AS OF MAY 5 2021, THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION SAYS THERE HAVE BEEN OVER 150 MILLION CONFIRMED COVID-19 CASES, WITH OVER 3 MILLION DEATHS.
THE US TAKES GOLD IN HAVING THE MOST REPORTED COVID-19 CASES AND DEATHS. IN THE ASIAN REGION, INDIA IS DEALING WITH A BRUTAL SECOND WAVE OF COVID-19 THAT IS EERILY SIMILAR TO HOW COUNTRIES DEALT WITH THE PANDEMIC INITIALLY.
CHINA REPORTS ABOUT 100,000 CONFIRMED CASES WITH LESS THAN 5,000 DEATHS WHILE JAPAN HAS OVER 600,000 CASES AND 10,000 DEATHS.
THE PHILIPPINES HAS OVER 1 MILLION COVID-19 CASES AND AROUND 17,000 DEATHS.
ALL OF THESE STATS COME FROM THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION COVID-19 DASHBOARD AND OTHER TRACKERS LIKE THE NEW YORK TIMES, ONE FROM THE CDC, AND ONE FROM MY UNIVERSITY.
THROUGH THIS PODCAST, I HOPE TO PROVIDE SOME DIRECT INSIGHT INTO THESE COUNTRIES THROUGH THE PEOPLE I INTERVIEWED.
MUSIC.
Tye Coleman: My name is Tye Coleman. And I'm 20. I'm half Japanese, half American. I live in Kanagawa, Japan. It's like right next to Tokyo.
Debbi Jiang: My first name is Debbi. And my last name is Jiang. I'm 18 years old right now. I'm Chinese and Asian.
SHE’S FROM
Debbi Jiang: Chongqing Southwest city in China.
Janine Radoc: So my name is Janine Radoc, and I'm 35 years old. I'm from the Philippines. I'm a Filipino, and I have been working in our call center for 15 years. So I used to live in Manila, where that's the capital of the Philippines. But for work I recently just moved here in Roxas City in Capiz.
ALL THREE OF THEM REMEMBER WHEN COVID HIT THEIR COUNTRIES.
Debbi Jiang: When we know that the Coronavirus has been broke broke out is the time we the Chinese the Chinese festival. It broke out after the day that Chinese Spring Festival is.
Janine Radoc: What a perfect time for, you know, for COVID to start. February was Chinese New Year so, we knew it was going to get here. At first, you know, people would think, yeah, it's just in China, it won't they won't get here. The Philippines right now, even before the pandemic, there are lots of Chinese here actually, a lot of a lot of Chinese workers are here.
We had a hunch that it would you know, it would get here somehow, of course, you know, people move every now and then. And, you know, people of course, on Facebook and on social media weren't happy with how the government was still allowing the Chinese to get in here even with that. So people were already thinking that, you know, it's gonna be big, it's gonna be big, because we still allow the Chinese to be here. And you know, [the] Philippines being a third world slash developing country, we rely so much on the Chinese government right now
That's when they announced you know that the whole Manila, you know, the capital of the Philippines will be will be in the lockdown. So there's no way that you can go out there's no way that you can come in only essentials are allowed.
So all of a sudden, overnight, it happened overnight. Um, although there were there were rumors about it on social media, but it happened overnight. I remember it distinctly: March 16 was a Monday if I was right.
MEANWHILE IN JAPAN,
Tye Coleman: So I think first, like, major event, you know, do you remember the ship? Like the like the cruise ship?
Nihongo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u1jYZbPd_g
Tye Coleman: So I think the first like outbreak in Japan happened on the ship. Some people, they got off the ship, and it started, you know, spread. And I think around April, we got the first state of emergency.
Jadenne Radoc Cabahug: How do you feel about the way your country reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic?
Debbi Jiang: Actually, I think they have done a very good work on this problem because yeah, so far, China has been the safest country in the world right now. We even can go out without a mask, you just hang around, but if you want to go to use the public transportation, you'll still need one. But basically, in my city, everyone feels very safe. And most of my friends have gotten the vaccine.
Tye Coleman: To be honest, I think we should do more. Because right now, they just announced the third state of emergency. I think it was yesterday. But before that, they didn't do anything for like two months.
Janine Radoc: I would say COVID became, I don't know, if there's any difference, you know, here and there in the US or in any other country, but to me, it feels like it became political, you know. At first I thought, you know, we were the government was, was doing really well in in making sure that, um, that we're not just being reactive.
THE THREE COUNTRIES HAD LOCKDOWNS OR STATES OF EMERGENCIES DURING THE PANDEMIC.
Debbi Jiang: So it broke out in January, and we stay[ed] at home for like two months. So it's March. And some people go out to work, go back to work again. And this month..
Janine Radoc: Same time, actually, same time when it happened. It was funny. Well, it's not funny, but it was so ironic. March 16 is when it happened is when they announced the lockdown last year. And guess what? It's about, you know, on its first anniversary, no, nothing to celebrate. But exactly one year after they had to announce the lockdown again.
THE PHILIPPINES HAS ONE OF THE WORLD’S LONGEST AND STRICTEST COVID-19 LOCKDOWNS, ACCORDING TO THE TELEGRAPH.
PEOPLE RISK GETTING BEATEN BY THE POLICE IF THEY BREAK ANY RESTRICTIONS.
THE LONGEST LOCKDOWN LASTED FROM MARCH 15 TO JUNE 1 IN 2020. IT VARIES BY LOCALITY, AND HAS BEEN EASED IN SOME AREAS.
BUT ITS THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE A LITTLE BIT UP NORTH IN JAPAN.
Tye Coleman: They didn't really do like a big lockdown. And that's, that's the major difference between like, Japan, and like Europe, was, you know, some countries in Europe did like a full lockdown. I think we needed that, you know, in the beginning, because we did like little, you know, state of emergency, like little lock downs, but that didn't, you know, that didn't do anything.
CHINA, JAPAN, AND THE PHILIPPINES ALL HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF RESTRICTIONS.
THEY ALL HAVE THE GENERAL 2 METERS APART SOCIAL DISTANCING AND MASK WEARING RULE.
Debbi Jiang: I think like they July? June? Yeah. So the COVID-19 broke out at January and Pete, when is June? The people are some people on the street are just not wearing mask in July. They are more so. Yeah. After that the people, especially the older men, and the younger man, yeah, they just choose to go out without masks.
So if you ask me why we are so confident for now wearing masks, I would say because we really trust our government. Yeah. For for what they have done.
Tye Coleman: We have to wear masks like indoors and stuff. And also, we're advised to wear it, like, you know, anywhere we go. Or it's not like, we're not like obligated or anything. That's just like advised. Maybe it's because we like already wear masks all the time. Anyway so you know, you don't have to be forced.
IN JAPAN, A STATE OF EMERGENCY IS NOT THE SAME AS A LOCKDOWN. IT PUTS RESTRICTIONS ON RESTAURANTS, BUSINESSES, AND IMPOSE A CURFEW AT 8 PM, ACCORDING TO NPR NEWS. BUT PEOPLE ARE NOT CONFINED TO THEIR HOMES.
Tye Coleman: You can still go out and stuff during the day, it's just at night, they don't want because I saw this on the TV. But like, most of the times, like people who go to like Izakaya and the bars and stuff, they don't wear masks, and you know, therefore, all the young, like infections come from, like night times, I think that's what some guy said on the TV, but so it's like a lockdown at night only. You can do whatever you want in the day. They like, advise you not to go out, but you can still go out shops are open most of the time.
Tye Coleman: They also like promoted this thing called Go to Travel. They want us to, like travel around Japan, which is so weird, you know, consider the situation but I don't know maybe it's for the economy, but I just think it's really stupid to promote like traveling now.
Go to travel clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyqODRpAYsM
JAPAN WANTED TO STIMULATE DOMESTIC TRAVELING AND TOURISM THROUGH ITS GO TO TRAVEL PROGRAM, WHERE THE GOVERNMENT WOULD PAY FOR PART OF TRAVEL EXPENSES WITHIN THE COUNTRY.
Tye Coleman: All the prices went down so much like 30% 40% like hotels, you know, airplane fees, and shinkansen, they were so cheap. But yeah, I didn't really use them because I thought it was stupid.
GO TO TRAVEL WAS SUSPENDED IN DECEMBER 2020 BUT TOURISM MINISTER KAZUYOSHI AKABA AND THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT ARE THINKING OF RESUMING IT AS SOON AS JUNE, ACCORDING TO THE JAPAN TIMES.
THIS IS THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE OF WHAT’S BEEN GOING ON IN THE PHILIPPINES. IN ORDER TO GO FROM PROVINCE TO PROVINCE, YOU NEED TO
Janine Radoc: Show negative swab test result. That's what that's what I did my daughter and I for us to get here. In Roxas City we had to we had to take a swab test and then and then we had to show it at the airport and we also had to show that you know the city Roxas city is allowing us to come in for work purposes. So you can't just you know, you can't just go around and or move around the country. You have to show them what your purpose is.
WHILE THE PHILIPPINES HAS THE SAME 2 METER SOCIAL DISTANCING AND MASK RULE, THEY ALSO HAVE TO WEAR FACE SHIELDS.
CONTACT TRACING IS A BIG THING AS WELL WITH TEMPERATURE CHECKS TO GET INTO PUBLIC SPACES LIKE MALLS AND LEAVING CONTACT INFORMATION IN CASE THERE IS AN OUTBREAK.
THE PHILIPPINES WAS HIT ESPECIALLY HARD AS A DEVELOPING COUNTRY THAT RELIED HEAVILY ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
Janine Radoc: We didn't realize they were going to stop trans[port] overall. And of course, that's, you know, that's how people move. Here in the Philippines, not a lot of people have cars. That was March 16, 17, 12 Midnight, no more tricycles, I don’t know if you know what a tricycle looks like, no more jeepneys no more, no more buses, no more trains. So none of those, none of those were allowed to operate.
MY AUNTIE SAID IF PEOPLE NEEDED TO GET TO THEIR WORKPLACE DURING COVID, THEIR WORK HAD TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION FOR THEM OR THEY HAD TO WALK.
Janine Radoc: We see a lot of people they're walking, they walk people of different age, young and old of course they can't rely on anyone, anymore so they walk to the market very early, I guess 5am 6am. So it won't be too hot. It was summertime here in Manila.
Janine Radoc: Of course you ask people to stay at home your you told people not to work but of course a lot of people here I would say myself included you know we we we work um you know paycheck to paycheck.
LIKE MOST IN THE REST OF THE WORLD PEOPLE IN THE PHILIPPINES HAD TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANTED TO GO TO WORK TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. THIS SITUATION BECAME MORE STRENUOUS AS LOCKDOWN CONTINUED IN THE PHILIPPINES. ANY PEOPLE WERE ITCHING TO GET BACK TO WORK.
MUSIC
DEBBI IS A UW STUDENT. AND SO IS TYE.
THEY HAVE TO CHOOSE ASYNCHRONOUS CLASSES DUE TO THE TIME ZONES. DEBBI SAYS SHE DOES HAVE TO TAKE QUIZZES AND MIDTERMS AT ODD HOURS DUE TO LIMITED TIME SPANS.
IN TERMS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION, DEBBI SAID THAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN CHINA WERE SHUT DOWN FOR NEARLY TWO MONTHS BEFORE RETURNING.
THEY USED ONLINE EDUCATION IN THOSE TWO MONTHS. TYE SAID THE SAME THING HAPPENED IN JAPAN WITH MOST STUDENTS RETURNING IN THE SUMMER, WHICH IS WHEN THE JAPANESE SCHOOL YEAR BEGINS.
IN THE PHILIPPINES, IT’S A DIFFERENT STORY. MY NIECE, EVA.
Janine Radoc: Was supposed to start school last year, kindergarten, but I didn't want. But But of course, all of the schools were you know, were had to be moved online. Well, that's another thing that didn't go out very well, of course, is not a lot. Not everyone has access to the internet.
INTERNET ACCESS IS A PRIVILEGE THAT MOST TEND TO FORGET. IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES LIKE THE PHILIPPINES, ONLINE LEARNING PROVED TO BE A CHALLENGE FOR CHILDREN THAT DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET OR DEVICES.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vSijcG5YyY
AUNTIE JANINE SAID THAT TO HELP WITH INTERNET INEQUITIES, THE PHILIPPINE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BROADCASTED EDUCATIONAL EPISODES FROM 8 AM TO 6:30 PM FIVE DAYS A WEEK IN THE SUMMER.
THE INACCESSIBILITY TO ONLINE EDUCATION IN MANY DEVELOPING COUNTRIES PROVED TO HALT EDUCATION, WHEREAS DEVELOPED NATIONS WERE ABLE TO LARGELY MOVE ALL INSTRUCTION ONLINE.
MUSIC
IN TERMS OF VACCINES, DEBBI SAID SHE RECEIVED HER COVID VACCINE ALREADY.
Debbi Jiang: Six months ago? yeah. When they first came out, yeah, it was only available for doctors.
THAT’S NOT THE CASE FOR JAPAN AND THE PHILIPPINES.
Tye Coleman:They're all waiting for the vaccine to, you know, get around in Japan.
Tye Coleman: I know my friend from the base. He already got it. But I don't know. Any other friends or people? I know who got it. I think they're still working on the process of it.
BY BASE, TYE MEANS THE US MILITARY BASES STATIONED IN JAPAN HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED COVID VACCINES.
TYE WORKED IN A NURSERY HOME DURING THE PANDEMIC UP UNTIL RECENTLY, SO HE WOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT VACCINE ROLLOUT IN JAPAN.
Janine Radoc: I would say I am not expecting too much and not expecting too much I know how I know that. I know the status of our country of the economy so I wouldn't be surprised if you we’re last on everything, we’re last to get them testing we’re last to get the vaccine and then it was being politicized in a way that the government was being criticized that the leaders of you know we have this task force that leads on vaccine leads, on the lockdown whether whether the lockdown would still have to continue or not. They basically asked the generals in the military guys to leave them and people were saying Why don't you ask a doctor to lead that? What would the general know about it?
PEOPLE HAVE LEARNED A LOT FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. DEBBI USED THE TERM BLACK SWAN WHICH MEANS THINGS…
Debbi Jiang: will happen in a way that we haven't expected before. But if we, if we take it with a very positive angle, then we'll find out the opportunities among the unknown future.
Tye Coleman: Um, well, I learned to, you know, like, obey the people who know about, you know, this stuff, like doctors and, you know, health professionals. And so I, I tried to wash my hands, like every day, multiple times, and I just tried to stay in, you know, and so, yeah, I think I think that's my answer for that.
Janine Radoc: Um, I haven't really thought about that. But, um, I don't know. I guess I just, I just hope that, um, I just hope that the vaccine works. I mean, we, we, we've started giving out they have started giving out vaccines here. They have startewd giving out vaccines first at least for for health workers first and for for some seniors.
Janine Radoc: Hopefully, this pandemic, you know, ends even before that, that I guess, if we don't change the kind of government, the kind of thinking that we have, and not nothing much will change, you know. We need we need, we need more jobs, and we need more, we need a better, you know, we need better education we need, we need a lot more.
MUSIC
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP THE WORLD FROM SPINNING FOR JUST A MOMENT, BUT IN THAT MOMENT, IT TAUGHT US VALUABLE LESSONS FOR THE FUTURE.
IT EXACERBATED INEQUITIES BETWEEN DEVELOPING AND DEVELOPED NATIONS, THAT ALREADY EXISTED BEFORE.
FROM HOW BADLY ECONOMIES WERE AFFECTED, TRANSPORTATION, EDUCATION, AND ACCESSIBILITY TO MASS COVID TESTING AND VACCINES, DEVELOPING NATIONS TOOK THE HARDEST HIT FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
I HOPE WE LEARNED FROM THE PANDEMIC HOW TO HELP OURSELVES, AND HOW TO HELP OUR COMMUNITIES.
BIG THANK YOU TO TYE, DEBBI, AND AUNTIE JANINE FOR TAKING THE TIME TO TALK WITH ME.
THIS PODCAST WAS CREATED FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON COMMUNICATIONS 360 COURSE FOR MY PROJECT, COVID-19 AROUND THE WORLD.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
THIS WAS YOURS TRULY,
JADENNE RADOC CABAHUG
IT MADE THE WORLD STOP SPINNING, EVEN FOR JUST A MOMENT.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT MIGHT NOT KNOW, THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC BEGAN WITH THE SPREAD OF THE SARS-COV-2 VIRUS WHICH BEGAN IN WUHAN, CHINA, IN DECEMBER 2019, ACCORDING TO THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION.
MY NAME IS JADENNE RADOC CABAHUG, I’M A STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON IN SEATTLE FOR THE COMMUNICATIONS: JOURNALISM IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST MAJOR.
THIS IS A STORY CREATED FOR MY COMMUNICATIONS 360 CLASS FOR MY WEBSITE, COVID-19 AROUND THE WORLD.
THROUGH THIS PROJECT, I HOPE TO COMPARE AND CONTRAST HOW COUNTRIES AND DIFFERENT PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD REACTED TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
THIS PODCAST IN PARTICULAR WILL FOCUS ON THREE ASIAN COUNTRIES: CHINA, JAPAN, AND THE PHILIPPINES.
OTHER STORIES ON MY WEBSITE, INCLUDE DATA GRAPHICS, ARTICLES, AND OTHER COOL JOURNALIST STUFF TO SHOW HOW OTHER PEOPLE IN THE AMERICAS, AFRICA, OCEANA, AND THE MIDDLE EAST REACTED TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
MUSIC.
AS OF MAY 5 2021, THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION SAYS THERE HAVE BEEN OVER 150 MILLION CONFIRMED COVID-19 CASES, WITH OVER 3 MILLION DEATHS.
THE US TAKES GOLD IN HAVING THE MOST REPORTED COVID-19 CASES AND DEATHS. IN THE ASIAN REGION, INDIA IS DEALING WITH A BRUTAL SECOND WAVE OF COVID-19 THAT IS EERILY SIMILAR TO HOW COUNTRIES DEALT WITH THE PANDEMIC INITIALLY.
CHINA REPORTS ABOUT 100,000 CONFIRMED CASES WITH LESS THAN 5,000 DEATHS WHILE JAPAN HAS OVER 600,000 CASES AND 10,000 DEATHS.
THE PHILIPPINES HAS OVER 1 MILLION COVID-19 CASES AND AROUND 17,000 DEATHS.
ALL OF THESE STATS COME FROM THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION COVID-19 DASHBOARD AND OTHER TRACKERS LIKE THE NEW YORK TIMES, ONE FROM THE CDC, AND ONE FROM MY UNIVERSITY.
THROUGH THIS PODCAST, I HOPE TO PROVIDE SOME DIRECT INSIGHT INTO THESE COUNTRIES THROUGH THE PEOPLE I INTERVIEWED.
MUSIC.
Tye Coleman: My name is Tye Coleman. And I'm 20. I'm half Japanese, half American. I live in Kanagawa, Japan. It's like right next to Tokyo.
Debbi Jiang: My first name is Debbi. And my last name is Jiang. I'm 18 years old right now. I'm Chinese and Asian.
SHE’S FROM
Debbi Jiang: Chongqing Southwest city in China.
Janine Radoc: So my name is Janine Radoc, and I'm 35 years old. I'm from the Philippines. I'm a Filipino, and I have been working in our call center for 15 years. So I used to live in Manila, where that's the capital of the Philippines. But for work I recently just moved here in Roxas City in Capiz.
ALL THREE OF THEM REMEMBER WHEN COVID HIT THEIR COUNTRIES.
Debbi Jiang: When we know that the Coronavirus has been broke broke out is the time we the Chinese the Chinese festival. It broke out after the day that Chinese Spring Festival is.
Janine Radoc: What a perfect time for, you know, for COVID to start. February was Chinese New Year so, we knew it was going to get here. At first, you know, people would think, yeah, it's just in China, it won't they won't get here. The Philippines right now, even before the pandemic, there are lots of Chinese here actually, a lot of a lot of Chinese workers are here.
We had a hunch that it would you know, it would get here somehow, of course, you know, people move every now and then. And, you know, people of course, on Facebook and on social media weren't happy with how the government was still allowing the Chinese to get in here even with that. So people were already thinking that, you know, it's gonna be big, it's gonna be big, because we still allow the Chinese to be here. And you know, [the] Philippines being a third world slash developing country, we rely so much on the Chinese government right now
That's when they announced you know that the whole Manila, you know, the capital of the Philippines will be will be in the lockdown. So there's no way that you can go out there's no way that you can come in only essentials are allowed.
So all of a sudden, overnight, it happened overnight. Um, although there were there were rumors about it on social media, but it happened overnight. I remember it distinctly: March 16 was a Monday if I was right.
MEANWHILE IN JAPAN,
Tye Coleman: So I think first, like, major event, you know, do you remember the ship? Like the like the cruise ship?
Nihongo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u1jYZbPd_g
Tye Coleman: So I think the first like outbreak in Japan happened on the ship. Some people, they got off the ship, and it started, you know, spread. And I think around April, we got the first state of emergency.
Jadenne Radoc Cabahug: How do you feel about the way your country reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic?
Debbi Jiang: Actually, I think they have done a very good work on this problem because yeah, so far, China has been the safest country in the world right now. We even can go out without a mask, you just hang around, but if you want to go to use the public transportation, you'll still need one. But basically, in my city, everyone feels very safe. And most of my friends have gotten the vaccine.
Tye Coleman: To be honest, I think we should do more. Because right now, they just announced the third state of emergency. I think it was yesterday. But before that, they didn't do anything for like two months.
Janine Radoc: I would say COVID became, I don't know, if there's any difference, you know, here and there in the US or in any other country, but to me, it feels like it became political, you know. At first I thought, you know, we were the government was, was doing really well in in making sure that, um, that we're not just being reactive.
THE THREE COUNTRIES HAD LOCKDOWNS OR STATES OF EMERGENCIES DURING THE PANDEMIC.
Debbi Jiang: So it broke out in January, and we stay[ed] at home for like two months. So it's March. And some people go out to work, go back to work again. And this month..
Janine Radoc: Same time, actually, same time when it happened. It was funny. Well, it's not funny, but it was so ironic. March 16 is when it happened is when they announced the lockdown last year. And guess what? It's about, you know, on its first anniversary, no, nothing to celebrate. But exactly one year after they had to announce the lockdown again.
THE PHILIPPINES HAS ONE OF THE WORLD’S LONGEST AND STRICTEST COVID-19 LOCKDOWNS, ACCORDING TO THE TELEGRAPH.
PEOPLE RISK GETTING BEATEN BY THE POLICE IF THEY BREAK ANY RESTRICTIONS.
THE LONGEST LOCKDOWN LASTED FROM MARCH 15 TO JUNE 1 IN 2020. IT VARIES BY LOCALITY, AND HAS BEEN EASED IN SOME AREAS.
BUT ITS THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE A LITTLE BIT UP NORTH IN JAPAN.
Tye Coleman: They didn't really do like a big lockdown. And that's, that's the major difference between like, Japan, and like Europe, was, you know, some countries in Europe did like a full lockdown. I think we needed that, you know, in the beginning, because we did like little, you know, state of emergency, like little lock downs, but that didn't, you know, that didn't do anything.
CHINA, JAPAN, AND THE PHILIPPINES ALL HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF RESTRICTIONS.
THEY ALL HAVE THE GENERAL 2 METERS APART SOCIAL DISTANCING AND MASK WEARING RULE.
Debbi Jiang: I think like they July? June? Yeah. So the COVID-19 broke out at January and Pete, when is June? The people are some people on the street are just not wearing mask in July. They are more so. Yeah. After that the people, especially the older men, and the younger man, yeah, they just choose to go out without masks.
So if you ask me why we are so confident for now wearing masks, I would say because we really trust our government. Yeah. For for what they have done.
Tye Coleman: We have to wear masks like indoors and stuff. And also, we're advised to wear it, like, you know, anywhere we go. Or it's not like, we're not like obligated or anything. That's just like advised. Maybe it's because we like already wear masks all the time. Anyway so you know, you don't have to be forced.
IN JAPAN, A STATE OF EMERGENCY IS NOT THE SAME AS A LOCKDOWN. IT PUTS RESTRICTIONS ON RESTAURANTS, BUSINESSES, AND IMPOSE A CURFEW AT 8 PM, ACCORDING TO NPR NEWS. BUT PEOPLE ARE NOT CONFINED TO THEIR HOMES.
Tye Coleman: You can still go out and stuff during the day, it's just at night, they don't want because I saw this on the TV. But like, most of the times, like people who go to like Izakaya and the bars and stuff, they don't wear masks, and you know, therefore, all the young, like infections come from, like night times, I think that's what some guy said on the TV, but so it's like a lockdown at night only. You can do whatever you want in the day. They like, advise you not to go out, but you can still go out shops are open most of the time.
Tye Coleman: They also like promoted this thing called Go to Travel. They want us to, like travel around Japan, which is so weird, you know, consider the situation but I don't know maybe it's for the economy, but I just think it's really stupid to promote like traveling now.
Go to travel clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyqODRpAYsM
JAPAN WANTED TO STIMULATE DOMESTIC TRAVELING AND TOURISM THROUGH ITS GO TO TRAVEL PROGRAM, WHERE THE GOVERNMENT WOULD PAY FOR PART OF TRAVEL EXPENSES WITHIN THE COUNTRY.
Tye Coleman: All the prices went down so much like 30% 40% like hotels, you know, airplane fees, and shinkansen, they were so cheap. But yeah, I didn't really use them because I thought it was stupid.
GO TO TRAVEL WAS SUSPENDED IN DECEMBER 2020 BUT TOURISM MINISTER KAZUYOSHI AKABA AND THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT ARE THINKING OF RESUMING IT AS SOON AS JUNE, ACCORDING TO THE JAPAN TIMES.
THIS IS THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE OF WHAT’S BEEN GOING ON IN THE PHILIPPINES. IN ORDER TO GO FROM PROVINCE TO PROVINCE, YOU NEED TO
Janine Radoc: Show negative swab test result. That's what that's what I did my daughter and I for us to get here. In Roxas City we had to we had to take a swab test and then and then we had to show it at the airport and we also had to show that you know the city Roxas city is allowing us to come in for work purposes. So you can't just you know, you can't just go around and or move around the country. You have to show them what your purpose is.
WHILE THE PHILIPPINES HAS THE SAME 2 METER SOCIAL DISTANCING AND MASK RULE, THEY ALSO HAVE TO WEAR FACE SHIELDS.
CONTACT TRACING IS A BIG THING AS WELL WITH TEMPERATURE CHECKS TO GET INTO PUBLIC SPACES LIKE MALLS AND LEAVING CONTACT INFORMATION IN CASE THERE IS AN OUTBREAK.
THE PHILIPPINES WAS HIT ESPECIALLY HARD AS A DEVELOPING COUNTRY THAT RELIED HEAVILY ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
Janine Radoc: We didn't realize they were going to stop trans[port] overall. And of course, that's, you know, that's how people move. Here in the Philippines, not a lot of people have cars. That was March 16, 17, 12 Midnight, no more tricycles, I don’t know if you know what a tricycle looks like, no more jeepneys no more, no more buses, no more trains. So none of those, none of those were allowed to operate.
MY AUNTIE SAID IF PEOPLE NEEDED TO GET TO THEIR WORKPLACE DURING COVID, THEIR WORK HAD TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION FOR THEM OR THEY HAD TO WALK.
Janine Radoc: We see a lot of people they're walking, they walk people of different age, young and old of course they can't rely on anyone, anymore so they walk to the market very early, I guess 5am 6am. So it won't be too hot. It was summertime here in Manila.
Janine Radoc: Of course you ask people to stay at home your you told people not to work but of course a lot of people here I would say myself included you know we we we work um you know paycheck to paycheck.
LIKE MOST IN THE REST OF THE WORLD PEOPLE IN THE PHILIPPINES HAD TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANTED TO GO TO WORK TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. THIS SITUATION BECAME MORE STRENUOUS AS LOCKDOWN CONTINUED IN THE PHILIPPINES. ANY PEOPLE WERE ITCHING TO GET BACK TO WORK.
MUSIC
DEBBI IS A UW STUDENT. AND SO IS TYE.
THEY HAVE TO CHOOSE ASYNCHRONOUS CLASSES DUE TO THE TIME ZONES. DEBBI SAYS SHE DOES HAVE TO TAKE QUIZZES AND MIDTERMS AT ODD HOURS DUE TO LIMITED TIME SPANS.
IN TERMS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION, DEBBI SAID THAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN CHINA WERE SHUT DOWN FOR NEARLY TWO MONTHS BEFORE RETURNING.
THEY USED ONLINE EDUCATION IN THOSE TWO MONTHS. TYE SAID THE SAME THING HAPPENED IN JAPAN WITH MOST STUDENTS RETURNING IN THE SUMMER, WHICH IS WHEN THE JAPANESE SCHOOL YEAR BEGINS.
IN THE PHILIPPINES, IT’S A DIFFERENT STORY. MY NIECE, EVA.
Janine Radoc: Was supposed to start school last year, kindergarten, but I didn't want. But But of course, all of the schools were you know, were had to be moved online. Well, that's another thing that didn't go out very well, of course, is not a lot. Not everyone has access to the internet.
INTERNET ACCESS IS A PRIVILEGE THAT MOST TEND TO FORGET. IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES LIKE THE PHILIPPINES, ONLINE LEARNING PROVED TO BE A CHALLENGE FOR CHILDREN THAT DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET OR DEVICES.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vSijcG5YyY
AUNTIE JANINE SAID THAT TO HELP WITH INTERNET INEQUITIES, THE PHILIPPINE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BROADCASTED EDUCATIONAL EPISODES FROM 8 AM TO 6:30 PM FIVE DAYS A WEEK IN THE SUMMER.
THE INACCESSIBILITY TO ONLINE EDUCATION IN MANY DEVELOPING COUNTRIES PROVED TO HALT EDUCATION, WHEREAS DEVELOPED NATIONS WERE ABLE TO LARGELY MOVE ALL INSTRUCTION ONLINE.
MUSIC
IN TERMS OF VACCINES, DEBBI SAID SHE RECEIVED HER COVID VACCINE ALREADY.
Debbi Jiang: Six months ago? yeah. When they first came out, yeah, it was only available for doctors.
THAT’S NOT THE CASE FOR JAPAN AND THE PHILIPPINES.
Tye Coleman:They're all waiting for the vaccine to, you know, get around in Japan.
Tye Coleman: I know my friend from the base. He already got it. But I don't know. Any other friends or people? I know who got it. I think they're still working on the process of it.
BY BASE, TYE MEANS THE US MILITARY BASES STATIONED IN JAPAN HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED COVID VACCINES.
TYE WORKED IN A NURSERY HOME DURING THE PANDEMIC UP UNTIL RECENTLY, SO HE WOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT VACCINE ROLLOUT IN JAPAN.
Janine Radoc: I would say I am not expecting too much and not expecting too much I know how I know that. I know the status of our country of the economy so I wouldn't be surprised if you we’re last on everything, we’re last to get them testing we’re last to get the vaccine and then it was being politicized in a way that the government was being criticized that the leaders of you know we have this task force that leads on vaccine leads, on the lockdown whether whether the lockdown would still have to continue or not. They basically asked the generals in the military guys to leave them and people were saying Why don't you ask a doctor to lead that? What would the general know about it?
PEOPLE HAVE LEARNED A LOT FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. DEBBI USED THE TERM BLACK SWAN WHICH MEANS THINGS…
Debbi Jiang: will happen in a way that we haven't expected before. But if we, if we take it with a very positive angle, then we'll find out the opportunities among the unknown future.
Tye Coleman: Um, well, I learned to, you know, like, obey the people who know about, you know, this stuff, like doctors and, you know, health professionals. And so I, I tried to wash my hands, like every day, multiple times, and I just tried to stay in, you know, and so, yeah, I think I think that's my answer for that.
Janine Radoc: Um, I haven't really thought about that. But, um, I don't know. I guess I just, I just hope that, um, I just hope that the vaccine works. I mean, we, we, we've started giving out they have started giving out vaccines here. They have startewd giving out vaccines first at least for for health workers first and for for some seniors.
Janine Radoc: Hopefully, this pandemic, you know, ends even before that, that I guess, if we don't change the kind of government, the kind of thinking that we have, and not nothing much will change, you know. We need we need, we need more jobs, and we need more, we need a better, you know, we need better education we need, we need a lot more.
MUSIC
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP THE WORLD FROM SPINNING FOR JUST A MOMENT, BUT IN THAT MOMENT, IT TAUGHT US VALUABLE LESSONS FOR THE FUTURE.
IT EXACERBATED INEQUITIES BETWEEN DEVELOPING AND DEVELOPED NATIONS, THAT ALREADY EXISTED BEFORE.
FROM HOW BADLY ECONOMIES WERE AFFECTED, TRANSPORTATION, EDUCATION, AND ACCESSIBILITY TO MASS COVID TESTING AND VACCINES, DEVELOPING NATIONS TOOK THE HARDEST HIT FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
I HOPE WE LEARNED FROM THE PANDEMIC HOW TO HELP OURSELVES, AND HOW TO HELP OUR COMMUNITIES.
BIG THANK YOU TO TYE, DEBBI, AND AUNTIE JANINE FOR TAKING THE TIME TO TALK WITH ME.
THIS PODCAST WAS CREATED FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON COMMUNICATIONS 360 COURSE FOR MY PROJECT, COVID-19 AROUND THE WORLD.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
THIS WAS YOURS TRULY,
JADENNE RADOC CABAHUG