WORKING ON THE FRONTLINES
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Tributes and gratitudes abound for our frontliners. But are they enough?
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EDUCATION IN THE TIME OF COVID-19
Covid-19 has inadvertantly affected even our educational sector. Will the virus risk quality education?
Fake news has been spreading faster than the virus. How can we avoid becoming victims of it?
DepEd-Siocon District Newsletter Coverage for Covid-19 ● First Issue ● April 30, 2020
WE RISE AS ONE DepEd-Siocon raises ₱241k for frontliners Siocon District of the Department of Education led the distribution of relief packs and personal protective equipment (PPE’s) to the municipality’s frontliners after raising ₱241,243 in cash and kind from its teaching and non-teaching personnel. The DepEd volunteers distributed the relief packs in four batches on March 25, April 13, April 18 and April 29 to the 16 checkpoints and workers on the Rural Health
Unit and the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, PPE’s were also distributed on March 22, March 29, April 19 and April 20. “We hope that this simple initiative will inspire our frontliners as they lead this battle against the Covid-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019). We also hope that other sectors of our municipality will be inspired to the same so that we rise together from this pandemic,” the
SIOCON COVID-19 DAILY MONITORING As of April 30, 2020 at 5:00PM
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HOW TO FIGHT MISINFORMATION
ONE FOR ALL. Volunteer teachers prepare for the distribution of relief packs for the frontliners, Siocon Central School, May 29. PHOTO BY Kent Jestoni Gabo
Public Schools District Supervisor Susan Felizarta said on an interview. Such initiatives are a response to the call of DepEd to organize ‘bayanihan’ activities for the frontliners in consonance with the Bayanihan to Heal as one Act (RA 11469). Aside from this district-wide initiative, schools and individuals from the department also initiated their own series of relief activities, some of which are in coordination with Tabang Siocon Higala, a nonprofit organized to help frontliners and high-risk families in Siocon. Some schools and their students also posted multimedia productions on social media sites thanking the frontliners.
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INSIGHT
First Issue â—? April 30, 2020
PHOTOS BY Saler Sabtiri (Left), Peter Ian Pantalita (Upper Right) & Angelie Blessed Reyes (Lower Right)
WORKING ON THE
FRONTLINES
In fighting the dreaded novel coronavirus disease or COVID-19, some should take the responsibility to be in front of the battle so that most will be protected. Without these frontliners, we will be in mayhem. Hence, we should shower them with our gratitude and praise. But are these enough? During our distribution of relief packs to our frontliners last April 29, we also took the opportunity to talk with them. From these interviews, we were able to glean some insights on their experiences, struggles and needs as they take the courage to put as out of harm’s way. One emphatic call of the frontliners is our cooperation. Sometimes, people who pass through our checkpoints fail to cooperate and follow the protocols set by the experts. These include the mandatory listing of names, physical distancing, and the prohibition of minors and elderlies to move out from their homes. According to those we have interviewed, some
who pass the checkpoints do not stop or they ask that they be exempted from the protocol. Some would even start arguments which only hampers the system and gives unnecessary stress to our frontliners. Our frontliners who are only following sound directives from our leaders take all the heat, both literally and figuratively. Remember, we are fighting against a shared enemy and our frontliners are definitely not the villains. In fact, they are our heroes. So we hope that you show them utmost respect. Cooperate as long as they do not step upon your rights. In this time of crisis, what we need is unity.
Another salient insight our frontliners shared with us is their need for equipment to protect them from the virus. They are like soldiers without armors as we saw them first-hand without proper masks. They just improvise using cloth masks which are proven to be useless in protecting against the virus. Some checkpoints also do not have thermal scanners. One in Malambuhangin has no access to clean water. Others do not have suitable stations with mere trapals to protect them from the elements. These are just some of the many needs of our frontliners that we hope our leaders will look into. We also call for those who have the financial ability to help that we also find ways to augment these needs. Our frontliners indeed deserve our gratitude, but they need our help too. We can do so by staying at home, cooperating with them, and helping them whenever we can. And by that we will hopefully heal as one.
ILLUSTRATION FROM ABS-CBN
Can eating garlic help prevent infection with the new coronavirus?
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Garlic is a healthy food that may have some antimicrobial properties. However, there is no evidence from the current outbreak that eating garlic has protected people from the new coronavirus. (World Health Organization)
INSIGHT
First Issue ● April 30, 2020
FAKE NEWS VIRUS How to fight misinformation
A talking newborn saying that the eating of boiled eggs would stop the virus. A post claiming that the DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones announced the addition of Grade 13. A chat saying that exposure to the sun would kill Covid-19. These are just some of the misinformation that spread all
throughout the social media-sphere like the virus. Fake news as we call them. This ‘virus’ does not spare anyone as even professionals share these wrong information in virtual walls and group chats. Some of these may be harmless but most of the time they become dangerous as they inspire fear, chaos or a false sense of safety and security. It is therefore important that we help fight against the spread of misinformation. This begins by our ability to spot what information is real or not. This ability requires media and information literacy and critical thinking is key to this. The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions provides a simple guide on how to spot fake news. These steps include considering the source, checking the author, checking the date, checking your biases, reading beyond the headline, looking for supporting sources, analyzing if it is just satire, and asking experts. The rule of thumb is that if the source of the information is
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questionable which may include those copy-pasted posts with “CTTO” (credits to the original) at the end, do not repost or share them so that you may stop its spread. Better yet, clarify from the one who posted their source and if you are sure that they are posting misinformation, tell them so. Social media sites like Facebook also allow you to report such posts as false information. Spreading of false information is punishable by law through the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act. So let us be responsible media and information consumers and producers so that we foster a safe virtual space for everyone.
This newsletter is realized through the efforts of the whole DepEd-Siocon District family headed by PSDS Susan M. Felizarta. All articles appearing on this issue are written through the collaborative efforts of the DepEdSiocon District volunteers.
Education in the time of Covid-19 With the uncertainty of this pandemic is also the uncertainty of some parents of the education of their children. Many false information are spread online and we must not believe them right away. Only take in information coming from reputable sources such as the Department of Education official website and social media accounts. The DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones in a statement assured that education must continue whether face-to-face or PHOTO BY Kent Jestoni Gabo
virtual, with or without physically going to school. Having said that, we are advised to wait for the final decision on school opening as DepEd is yet to present to the Inter-Agency Task Force its recommendations and proposals regarding this matter. Whatever their decisions are, we believe that they are for quality education to prosper amidst this crisis. For now, let us stay safe and stay healthy with our hopes that we can overcome this pandemic.
INFORMATION
First Issue â—? April 30, 2020
This infographic is an official entry to the Best-Designed Campus Papers of the Philippines #CombatCovid contest. Used with permission.