The Gist

PSA: “IT’S OKAY TO PARTY BECAUSE WE ALL TOOK TESTS ANYWAY” IS NOT OKAY—IT’S PRIVILEGE

While people on the streets are getting jailed for less, the rich and powerful are throwing parties left and right, and justifying it by claiming they all took COVID-19 tests beforehand.

PAULINE NACAR / 1 February 2021

The inequality between the masses and the elites has long been apparent in Filipino society, but even more so during this lengthy quarantine and on-going pandemic. While some people saw the pandemic as a way to rest and spend time with loved ones, others saw it as a time of hunger, insufficiency, and daily anxiety to put together scant resources to make it another day.

Contrary to premature claims made in the first few weeks of quarantine, COVID-19 is not the big “equalizer” socialists believed it would be. If anything, it widened the gap even more with a seemingly different set of rules for the wealthy and the impoverished.

This is emphasized even more in the past few weeks with celebrities and local influencers getting arbitrary passes to host parties within themselves on yachts and beach clubs, while common folks are in constant danger of getting jailed for pretty much the same thing in their own communities. Sometimes even less, in more atrocious situations.

The most recent example of this is the big Baguio party at Camp John Hay Manor, hosted by Tim Yap and attended by big names in media, fashion, and politics, including Baguio Mayor (and Philippine Contact Tracing Czar) Benjamin Magalong. An edited compilation of videos from the party on January 17 circulated online on January 26, and Filipinos—most especially Baguio residents—were quick to note the lack of social distancing and face masks or face shields among the guests.

The video also got attention online on the same day Mayor Magalong announced that the Cordillera region, including Baguio City, will be placed under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) from February 1 to 15 following a spike of cases across the area.

As the group, particularly Tim Yap, got massive backlash online after the video went viral, CNN Philippines reached out to him to get his side of the story, particularly an explanation behind the party celebrating his birthday. He emphasized that guests were asked to take swab tests before attending the party, and face masks were provided at the venue. But Yap still admitted that not all safety protocols were strictly followed throughout the evening, as the guests and himself got “carried away.” He then proceeded to apologize for what happened, and stressed that he does not wish to endanger anyone’s health.

Mayor Magalong assured Yap “not to worry” as he is considering all the things Yap and the guests have done for Baguio tourism throughout the years. This is amid the investigation the local government has issued on the party and its guests.

Following these recent events, Baguio Mayor and COVID-19 Contact Tracing Czar Benjamin Magalong has filed in his resignation from the contact tracing role to “hold [himself] accountable and do what is necessary to rectify this misstep.” However, the Malacañang Palace and the NTF Against COVID-19 rejected his resignation, and expressed their full support for the Mayor.

Regardless, Filipinos are enraged with the belief that this incident would tell a different story if the people in question are not powerful and wealthy personalities. Sure enough, this has happened on multiple occasions throughout quarantine where individuals with less privilege have been arrested or fined from breaking protocols. If this has been a party hosted by an “ordinary resident,” they might not be given hours to explain, interview opportunities to clear their name, or any reassurance that they have nothing to worry about.

The fact of the matter is, most of us simply do not have the same privilege that allows us this sense of safety and security. And given everything Filipinos, as a collective whole, have had to go through in 2020’s devastating events, we only ask for fair and just authorities who will allow not just the wealthy to live and prosper. At the very least, we ask for the same courtesy and humanity to be extended to every Filipino, regardless of who he is, who he knows, or what he has contributed to society.