Facebook netizen named Fernando Martinez appealed to critics to refrain from politicizing the coronavirus issue , because it’s far more complicated than that.
Don’t make the NCOV Virus a Political Circus, it’s far more complicated than that.
Totally out of hand. This is how Martinez described the bashing President Duterte received for his decision not to implement a travel ban asap. According to him, the job of the President isn’t easy because he needs to do a great balancing act from economic, geopolitical, humanitarian and moral standpoint which Martinez explained later as he progress.
Bashing the President on the decision not to implement a travel ban immediately is totally out of hand. First and foremost, a President needs to balance everything from economic, geopolitical, humanitarian and moral standpoint, before he decides to ban any Country and its Citizens from entering ours. I will let go on the Humanitarian and Moral issues; these are self-explanatory.
Martinez said that the impact on economy is huge since China is the Philippines biggest trading partner. Although the trade is in favor of China. The PH export to China is around $4B and imports $9.9B from China. Martinez begged for answers how can we just stop this in just one flick?
In 2018, China is Philippines’ biggest Trading Partner in the world, meaning, they are the biggest buyers of our Goods and is also the Biggest source of our Imported goods. Total trades are recorded at $14.08B or 16.6% of the Country’s total trade; comprising of Export trade at $4.08B for electronic parts and manufactured goods (food and non-food), Import trade at 9.9B for electronic products, iron and steel.
This not to mention, the underground economy that persists between the 2 nations, since time immemorial (the Divisoria flea market types).
Now you tell me how we, in just one flick, cut through all of these.
Next big reason that President Duterte considers is geopolitical in nature. The China pivot in 2016 saved our lethargic tourism industry (hotels, resorts etc.) real estate (condos, office space) and services (airlines, travel agency). The China pivot Martinez argued proved the turning point as it opened new markets for other Superpowers, especially Russia to deal with the Philippines directly.
Du30’s crucial pivot to China in 2016, saved our slumping Tourism Industry (hotel, resorts, casinos, restaurants), Real Estate (condominiums, office space, subdivision sales) and Services (airlines, travel agency, insurance, banking). It came at a time when our GDP is on the downside. This pivot also proved crucial as we now opened the doors for other Superpowers to deal directly with us like Russia. This gave us alternative on the acquisition of arms, in order to modernize our military capability.
Another big reason is humanitarian. The Philippines has history of opening its doors to nations during wars or conflict. During WWII, the Philippines opened its doors to the Jews when nobody wanted to. The Philippines also welcomed Vietnamese refugees who escaped from the communist regime especially after the Americans were defeated in the Vietnam War. Another recent example was during SARS outbreak.
Philippines also have a history of opening its doors to Nations in times of dire need; notable mentions are the Jews of WWII and the Vietnam refugees; repercussions are more serious, as there is an immediate threat of a war. During the Sars scare we also did not close our doors to our neighboring Countries.
Martinez asked, “So why now?” The answer is very simple – politics. Martinez said that instead of asking the President’s head, we should rather worry about our response capability – our frontliners like the doctors, nurses, immigration personnels, health workers.
The clamor is political. Nothing more, nothing less. Instead of asking for Du30’s head, we should be more concerned on the response capability of our front-liners; the Doctors, Nurses, Immigration Officers, Health Workers, Police and other agencies of Government that directly deals on the containment of these outbreaks.
Martinez sounded pessimistic in the end. He reckoned that perhaps the Filipinos today are starting to become r@c!$t now. Perhaps our colonial past has something to do with our changing attitude. And Filipinos, free from the foreign colonizers, finally see an opportunity to feel more superior than others. If that’s true, Martinez said he can’t do about this.
But then again, I maybe barking up the wrong tree. Filipinos are starting to become more racist by nature. Perhaps the product of our subservient past, 300 years under Spain, 50 years under the US and forever OFWs for other Nations. We finally see an opportunity to feel more superior than others. If that’s the case, I rest my case.
Your comment?
Source: Fernando Martinez
The post “The clamor is political. Nothing more, nothing less.” — netizen’s reaction on critics turning coronavirus issue into political issue appeared first on Pinoy Trending News.
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