COVID-19 Chronicle 2020: Experienced in Ontario, Canada and Pangasinan, Republic of the Philippines

By Grant Lee, BA., MA., RPP (ret.), CPM | glee@aglmarketing.com

In the beginning

Like many evenings during the holidays leading into 2020, I was with “the guys” in a back ally near my winter home in the Philippines enjoying idle conversation in the outdoors leaning on a messy food-laden table, drinking too many beers, bourbon, and gin. The warm evening air was still, and music and song were everywhere. I watched the full moon poking through the tall palms for a while, fully aware of the laughter and banter around the table in two languages and a dialect. Life couldn’t get much better.

In January we heard news from Wuhan about an epidemic that was raising concern throughout China and some countries in S.E. Asia. By February it was a pandemic and people in the Philippines were being infected by travelers from other countries. I wasn’t too worried because I carried a permanent resident card, and my wife was a dual citizen. We could travel to and from the Philippines from Canada at will and had a return flight in April. I thought there was time for the virus to be contained, and growing anxiety in my town would pass by the time of my planned departure. How naïve we all were!

Trepidation

A sense that something ominous was fast approaching dawned on me when the Taal Volcano erupted on January 12 spewing ashes as far north as the region in which I live. My close friend lived on the shore of the volcano lake and he was texting me what he was seeing. We had visited friends on the volcano numerous times and knew it well. School classes were suspended, work schedules interrupted, flights were grounded, and the lights went out in towns and villages near the eruption. The devastation was much greater than first thought. While this was happening, the Philippine national government was working with local government units to act against the virus that was spreading beyond ports of entry. Filipino health official and scientists were warning of potential catastrophic impact of the pandemic on the Philippines if action was delayed. As a precaution, citizens were advised to wear a mask (if they could buy or make one), wash hands frequently, keep a couple of metres away from each other in public places, and limit travel from homes. Guards at public offices, malls, retail outlets, and banks recorded temperatures to turn back anyone with an abnormal reading. I knew I must take a generator to my friend 4 hours away by road because he needed it and too much uncertainty was in the air.

In early March I delivered the generator and began helping with the cleanup of about 3 inches of hardening ash on everything by cutting and clearing damaged vegetation. My driver (who had studied nursing) and I travelled with masks in the van and used them sparingly but when entering fast food restaurants sat away from others, wore masks until food and drink arrived and washed our hands with extra care before and after eating. Upon entering the van, we sanitized our hands and masks. Our behavior was being altered unknowingly. We worked and partied “mask less” with friends near the venting volcano and returned home after a couple of days. My flight in early April was still on schedule and later in March returned to retrieve the generator since power had been restored to most areas affected by the eruption. That was the last trip before lockdown.

The Canuck rescue

The Canadian and Philippine national governments cooperated with Philippine Airlines to fly stranded Canadians back to Vancouver and Toronto in April. “Sweeper” flights continued into May with a hefty $CAD3,000 one-way ticket price. That is about the price of an economy class return ticket pre-COVID. My rebooked flight for May was cancelled again by Philippine Airlines because of international travel lockdown but my trusted, long-time agent in Georgetown Ontario rescheduled a flight in June. My wife and I had no concerns about remaining in the Philippines because we were safe at home with family and friends, had local health insurance plans, and access to any medical needs that we accessed in Canada. We are legal residents of the Philippines.

Change, hard love, and compassion

The Manila and Luzon lockdowns changed everything. Even before Manila, Duterte was taking action to save lives by shuttering schools in February and encouraging a paradigm shift in education to an online experience. The move was upsetting and disturbing to parents and teachers, but life goes on and people adjusted. His government’s decisions were backed by aid and compassion at the federal level but mostly at the provincial and local levels by governors, mayors, vice mayors, barangay captains and citizens. The nation’s leaders worked very much in unison to help each other manage the crisis.

Mayors and governors issued local rules and passed ordinances to force people to protect themselves and in doing so protect their neighbours, the elderly, and children. In May, curfews were in place in my town between 7 pm and 5 am. No spirits and beer for purchase or sale, no restaurants could open, and non-essential businesses shuttered. People were warned not to consume alcohol in the home. No visits to homes of friends, no birthday parties, no church gatherings, no funeral celebrations. People over 65 and under 15 were confined to their homes unless to access food, medical help, or banks. Malls were closed. No celebrations of any kind during curfew. Mask-wearing in public was mandatory. There were penalties for repeat violators of the rules. People violating the mandatory mask rule were escorted to the local police station, booked, lectured, and then ordered to perform street sweeping and cleaning in Memorial Gardens (cemeteries) for a few hours to give them time to think about their misbehavior. The Philippines was preparing for a fight to save lives. The economy would someday recover.

Returning to my summer home

It seems that in a blink of the eye since the first news out of China, it was time to return to Canada on the June PAL flight. Before travelling into Manila, still under lockdown, we needed a sealed and signed pass from the Mayor’s office saying that we lived in the town, and a signed pass from the town’s national police office to leave the town and for my driver to return. In addition, our van needed modification with a plastic curtain between my wife and I and our driver, and we were ordered to wear a mask (in the van and out of the van). We carried hand sanitizer and used it frequently. We were prepared for the strategically located police and military check points, should we be stopped for inspection of documents.

When we left our town, I thought that we would be stopped several times, but not so. Arriving at the airport, guards checked our temperature at the vehicle entrance security checkpoint and we were waived through to the entrance to the terminal. Quick farewells with our driver and a masked porter guided us through the entrance security check and into the terminal. Because we are seniors, we receive special kindness and assistance. Then we waited for processing. From that point to the gate, was routine – except for the mandatory mask wearing at the gate and on the aircraft. Some passengers were wearing shields over their masks. I thought it was excessive.

En route – Philippine Airlines

Reality bit on the aircraft where flight attendants were dressed in full PPE head to foot over their uniforms – including face shields. They must have been uncomfortable, but polite and as accommodating as ever throughout the flight of about 16 hours. They were constantly cleaning lavatories. I knew then that Filipinos were taking the coronavirus very seriously and it was time for me to pay attention to my environment, especially now that I was entering Canada and unknown territory as far as COVID precautions were concerned. For the first time since March, I was becoming concerned about the heath and safety of my wife in Canada. She has a weak immune system. I did not read up on Ontario COVID precautions but was fully aware of the disaster unfolding in the USA and perhaps there was overflow into Ontario. On the plane I filled in a form for submission to immigration giving details about our place of quarantine for 14 days. I had been following stats from John Hopkins and was optimistic about Canada because the spread seemed to be controlled. It was late spring, and temperatures were warm. The humidity around the Great Lakes felt much like our winter home in the Philippines. But something seemed unsettling.

Quarantine

We knew that upon arrival, we would be self-quarantined with my daughter as we were staying at her residence. Because we came from a country that took the virus seriously with all kinds of precautions, we understood the situation and complied without question, waiting for the quarantine to end. During the quarantine, I received three phone calls in the first week - two in one day from two different people asking if we were in quarantine and if we had a temperature or a cough. That was it.

After 14 days we were permitted to go anywhere we wished at any time. I saw neighbours on the street without masks. Everyone at malls wore masks, a few below the nose and the odd one around the chin until entering a retail outlet or grocery store. My daughter was careful about staying within her family bubble and only a family of close friends could visit the house to play mahjong sometimes twice a week. My two daughters were protecting us, and I felt some tension.

I have a cabin in the north and whenever possible my wife and I stayed there for extended periods away from people. In our travels we saw people following guidelines and wearing masks and only a few that seemed not to care. Restaurants were open as were bars and people were there, physically distancing where possible and wearing masks when not eating or drinking. I did the same on occasion but did not go indoors.

A sense of immediacy to return to the Philippines

Soon after arrival I began to sense that precautions were weak for people in my town to protect each other from COVID. My daughters understood the situation, but neighbors and friends seemed ambivalent or unsure. I am old enough to remember the warnings of my father and grandparents about world wars and how life can change quickly. I know I am in the moment of one of those generational events. To this day I cannot explain in words, but something was not “comfortable.” The Philippines has a population of close to 110 million in a land mass the size of Labrador, On June 2, there were 18,997 cases and 966 deaths. In Canada, with a population of 38 million, there were 92,399 cases and 7,395 deaths on the same date. My instincts were saying that I must return to the Philippines before winter and bought tickets for an early November departure.

An incredible journey to my winter home

In less than 8 months, COVID-19 changed travel through international ports forever. I doubt very much if the requirements of a visa and passport will ever again be the minimum requirement for travel. It is early times to give definitive comments on any cohesive strategy of travel companies, airlines, government agencies, and support services such as health insurance providers and hotels that will be developed along with new standards for travelers and protocol expectations. I can provide November 2020 insight into what may await international travelers post COVID-19.

Pre-boarding health testing is a grey area. Vaccination cards can be expected as part of pre-boarding documentation. Currently, there are temperature checks, physical distancing protocols, face masks and face shields required for passengers destined for certain countries from Toronto. I travelled by Philippine Airlines (PAL) to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila from Toronto on November 5. Masks, face shields and temperature checks are mandatory boarding requirements of PAL. Masks and face shields must be always worn during departure security and documents checks, and during the flight except for drinking and eating. The pandemic limits travel to Canadians with dual citizenship and Permanent Resident visas. No-one up to 2021 was allowed entry into the Philippines on a tourist visa.

Before departure, Canadians must travel with certain additional documents if not travelling with a Filipino passport. These may include birth certificates, marriage certificates, and proof of Philippine citizenship.

In addition, travelers must register with the Philippine Bureau of Quarantine before departure and book a room in a Department of Health-approved "quarantine" hotel in Metro Manila before departure. Transportation to the approved hotel must be arranged for presentation to security before leaving the airport. Three days or less prior to departure, travellers must file with the Bureau of Quarantine for three types of swab testing. Receipts with a QR code are emailed to applicants, and the codes must be presented to test personnel before proceeding to immigration clearance. At the airport in Toronto, PAL agents asked to see the QR codes of passengers.

At check-in, a PAL representative verifies travel documents. Two more forms are given by the PAL agents: registration instructions and the PAL Health Screening Form that must be completed and submitted prior to boarding the plane.

In flight, more forms are distributed to be completed and submitted upon arrival. These include: Health Declaration Card; Arrival Card; Customs Form; Case Investigation Form (Red Cross); Affidavit of Undertaking; and the IATF Declaration Form. Bring a reliable pen and an extra because it will be well used. Flight attendants are outfitted in full PPE attire including gowns, gloves, masks, and shields. Passengers are not allowed to change seats once seated in their pre-assigned seats and there is no cart service in flight and meals are served in boxes in economy class. Passengers are given one litre of water each for the flight.

Upon arrival, passengers must remain in their seats for instructions from the crew. There is a new protocol for deplaning. Coast Guard and Health Officers will board the plane upon landing to collect the Health Declaration Card. Each passenger must undergo a temperature check and deplaning is by section.

In the terminal, passengers must remain at the gate area (row by row) for the payment of the required swab tests. Passengers must have their Bureau of Quarantine QR Code before payment and testing. Your passport and boarding pass will be requested, the QR code scanned and information verification conducted. Payment for the tests is by cash or credit card. After payment, you receive a receipt and 3 stickers that identify your specimens. Results may take 24-48 hours while you rest at your quarantine hotel.

Following testing passengers proceed to Immigration for port of entry arrival stamps. But that is not the end of the port of entry protocol.

You cannot go to the carousel to claim your baggage. You must proceed to the hotel verification area to present your hotel and transportation reservation and sign the affidavit of undertaking distributed during the flight. The affidavit is verified and stamped and must be submitted to the Coast Guard prior to leaving the terminal.

Following hotel verification, a porter has your luggage, and you are permitted to proceed to a Coast Guard officer staffing the Customs desk for leaving the terminal. S/he will ask for the stamped affidavit of understanding. But the process is still not over.

The hotel and more health and safety precautions await

Outside the terminal a Coast Guard officer will ask for transit details to the hotel. The driver will be summoned by the officer and you and your bags are loaded into the vehicle and you are on your way directly to the hotel. Upon arrival, staff inform you of their COVID-19 protocol, and you cannot leave the hotel until receipt of a negative result from the testing. You are escorted by staff in full PPE to your room and the floor is isolated from the rest of the hotel. Elevators to and from the floor are disabled. Food is ordered and delivered to the room by staff in full PPE.

When we received notice of our negative test in less than 12 hours, my driver was summoned to fetch me at the hotel in the morning, but there is more. The van was once again screened so that the driver was separated from my wife and me. We had to always wear a mask and face shield in public. The driver held passes for entry and exit from Manila and into the province. Once home, we began 14 days of quarantine despite the negative results of our COVID test of less than 24 hours.

The day following our arrival home, I was visited by two nurses from the local barangay office who checked our COVID test results and issued forms to record data during our quarantine. We were required to take temperature readings twice daily and record the data. After 14 days with no symptoms reported on the form, I reported to the barangay office where forms were carefully reviewed by nurses, my temperature checked, and a receipt issued for the form. I then reported to the local health unit with the receipt and was issued a stamped “graduation certificate” allowing my wife to enter the community.

Our town has changed

When we left in June, the town was in total lockdown. Non-essential businesses were shuttered, and citizens were limited to what they could do. There was no travel other than commerce between towns without a special pass. Some people were separated from their families in neighboring towns because no travel meant no travel and they got caught in the travel ban because it came suddenly. Mothers, fathers, bothers and sisters had to wait out the lockdown with friends and family. Some were separated for 3 months.

Within a week of our return, Typhoon Ulysses (Vamco), hit Luzon hard from November 11 to 12. Filipinos were already struggling with COVID hotspots in Manila. Natural catastrophes and COVID-19 were relentlessly attacking the Filipino people, but its infrastructure in governance and disaster relief is now entrenched throughout the nation. COVID, it seems is just another unwelcome visitor.

We remain confined to our property. Seniors are being protected. We have a pass from the mayor’s office to visit a local mall for shopping and accessing our bank for business. The pass must be shown to a guard to enter the mall who checks the name, age, and place of origin. Face shields over masks are mandatory in public facilities and retail outlets. Shoes are sanitized when entering public offices and malls and hands sanitized by a guard upon entry. Guards in the malls and banks remind people about physical distancing and walking in proper paths and lanes, and temperatures are regularly taken and registered with name and address when entering retail outlets – even those inside the mall! In transit, drivers can be stopped and fined if seen by the police driving without a mask. Many passengers including me, wear a mask in my vehicle. The big change is that all retail has re-opened, and people are spending and making money. Businesses are recovering slowly with limited capacity rules and takeout food only at restaurants. Small businesses are self-regulating contact with the public. Streets are busy but void of seniors and children under 15. They are at home. Schools operate online and teachers and parents are coming to terms with a new education model. Neighbors are friendly, some masked, loitering by their homes. Curfew now begins at 9:00 and ends at 4 am. Sadly, all celebrations were banned over Christmas and New Year, including week-long fiestas in January and February. After 9:00 at night, neighborhoods fall silent except for barking dogs and roosters. This is modified lockdown in a small town, but the economy is recovering, and the number of new COVID cases in the province and nation continues to fall.

New variants of COVID-19 were reported in December and the Philippine authorities reacted quickly and decisively by closing flights to and from countries reporting the variants. The Philippines has closed its ports of entry to Canada because it is on the list of countries reporting cases of the variants. Seems like déjà vu of March 2020.

The new world of travel between Canada and the Philippines

A vaccine may change much of this protocol, but I expect a few procedures to remain in place to secure a healthier and safer international-travelling public and the citizens of host countries.

• Vaccination certifications before departure. No vac | No entry
• Pre-flight registrations with agencies of countries at ports of entry like health and quarantine
• Rapid testing for certain viruses before departure and upon arrival
• Mask wearing and face shields will become common whether mandated or not. Technology will combine the two for greater comfort
• Elevated health and safety rules at hotels and resorts to safeguard citizens of host countries. Masks will not be unusual sights in bars and restaurants. Some will remain fashionable
• Travel documents between provinces or regions within countries to track visitors
• Personnel of all organizations and agencies who are points of contact with travelers will have elevated training in customer experience management due to the need for repeat customers in a new world of fewer travelers

So, what does all this mean?

This is where it is important to look at science and the data. As of January 3, 2021, twelve months following news reports of an “epidemic” in Wuhan, the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University reports that the Philippines has reported 476,916 cases and 9,253 deaths. The spread of the virus is being managed and the country awaits vaccine from several sources. On the same date, Canada, now in the dead of winter, reported 589,935 cases and 15,707 dead.

There are many reasons for the differences in data, and numbers alone do not reflect the tragedy of the story that continues to unfold. I can only tell my story during COVID-19 in two countries that I call home. Citizens and governments have reacted much differently, and I do not claim any action better than the other. I am, however, a social scientist by education, a land use planner and marketer by trade, and an international traveler by choice. I can say with certainty that my wife and I are safe in a town of 62,000 three hours north of Manila, following strict rules of behavior while we await being vaccinated. Our town is COVID-free with two deaths since it all began.