Social (status) distancing? Filipinos seek comic relief through memes during lockdown

 

MANILA, Philippines – Filipinos on lockdown sought comic relief online through various memes and social media posts related to the strange experience of being quarantined for a week – and counting. 

Malacañang placed Luzon under lockdown on Tuesday, March 17. The lockdown meant the suspension of public transportation, implementation curfews in some areas, and the restriction of movement outside of people’s homes. 

The lockdown has forced people inside their homes for at least a month – an experience both unprecendented and sudden for many Filipinos. (READ: SK councils, local government use ‘online gimmicks’ to keep people indoors) 

With limited things to do at home, some Filipinos have coped with their current situation through memes that deliver strong messages to authorities supposedly leading the fight against the coronavirus outbreak. 

These memes highlighted how a number of politicians and their relatives sought special treatment to get tested for coronavirus first at a time when medical frontliners are overwhelmed with backlogs and surge of patients. 

 

Other memes reacted to how President Rodrigo Duterte is handling the coronavirus outbreak, evidently prioritizing military measures instead of health-oriented solutions. 

In a petition released Friday, March 20, the group Scientists Unite Against COVID-19 called on the national government to start mass testing for coronavirus. This call was echoed by an online petition on Change.Org calling for urgent action, including mandatory mass testing nationwide, to address the outbreak. 

Instead of ordering mass testing, President Rodrigo Duterte will be asking Congress to declare a “national emergency” and grant him emergency powers “necessary” to address the growing number of novel coronavirus cases in the Philippines. 

Others also poked fun at the option to work from home during this lockdown. 

The reality is, for many Filipinos especially those who follow the “no work, no pay” policy, working from home is not even an option. 

Some Filipinos have also posted humurous snippets of how their mothers are coping to manage a full household for one month. 

Have you seen witty and funny posts related to the lockdown on your feed? Share them in the comments section! – Rappler.com