Manila (CNN Philippines Life) — 

As the novel coronavirus remains in our community,

the world is in constant pursuit of what to do next. To those who took on the
responsibility of creating solutions, the biggest threat is inaction — along with the daily
rise of cases and lack of a steady recovery plan for the country.

However, the question of privilege and access still looms over those unable to step out
of safety and help monetarily: Who can afford to help? Who can risk going out? What if I
can’t really donate money? Do I have to? How can I help if all I can do is stay home?

These valid questions have called for several communities to circumvent barriers and
create platforms that remain sustainable and workable for those who can only help from
home, proving that concrete action can come from creative hacking, social solidarity,
and some Internet connection.

Poster from BANTAY BAYAN

For citizens wanting to ensure fair governance: Volunteer at Bantay Bayan

When President Rodrigo Duterte announced the Luzon-wide enhanced community

quarantine, citizens rallied online for the government to focus on responding to the
pandemic through medical solutions instead of a military approach.

To heed this call for transparency and efficient governance, members of GoodGov PH,
the youth-led movement, created “Bantay Bayan,” a citizen-watchdog and legal
assistance program that monitors responses and actions of all local government units in
the Philippines through volunteer reports.

“Our members were worried that the crisis might be used as an excuse for government
officials to commit corrupt practices, human rights violations, or political maneuvering,”
says Dexter Yang, executive director of GoodGov PH. “We saw the need for citizens to
be more vigilant about their government’s actions or inactions.”

Volunteers who sign up for the program are tasked to share their reports via an
exclusive Facebook group for the volunteers and survey forms. Data gathered will be
presented visually in a map that will be launched soon, together with the platform’s
website.

Volunteers may also submit any legal concerns in their communities and forward them
to the Bantay Bayan Help Desk, where volunteer lawyers and law students can provide
legal assistance.

As of writing, Bantay Bayan has over 900 volunteers nationwide. Anyone with an
Internet connection and mobile or computer device can sign up to volunteer, as Bantay
Bayan urges citizens to report LGU responses they see on social media. The core team
also welcomes graphic designers and individuals with legal or government background
to help with the concerns of the volunteers.

Sign up as a volunteer for Bantay Bayan here.

Illustration by ADVOCATES OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR THE PEOPLE

For multilinguals looking to help: Translate infographics with AGHAM

Well before the pandemic hit the country, daily media coverage and reports from health
organizations about the virus have been rampant, but with most updates about COVID-
19 written in English, it is questionable if the massive reach is effective in itself.

To make knowledge on COVID-19 accessible for every Filipino, Advocates of Science

and Technology for the People (AGHAM), a nonprofit organization composed of
patriotic science and technology advocates, is calling for volunteers capable of
translating their printable infographic posters into various Filipino languages.

“We were able to talk to some barangay officials who expressed their dismay at the lack
of assistance from the national government, notably on the technical information about
the virus,” says Jonallin Yang, educator chairperson of AGHAM.

Created with the independent bookstore Kwago, the output contains general facts and
common myths about the virus, and is meant to reach areas frequented by
underprivileged communities, such as barangay health centers, wet markets, and sari-
sari stores.

“By translating the COVID-19 info-posters in different Philippine languages, we also

hope to promote the importance of language in making science truly work for the
people, especially during this time of public health crisis,” says Kim Cantillas, member of
AGHAM.

As of writing, their posters have been disseminated in more than five provinces and
translated into more than ten Filipino languages including Ilokano, Hiligaynon, and
Kapampangan.

Sign up as volunteer translator for AGHAM here.

Poster from PROTECT OUR JOURNALISTS

For supporters of our ‘frontliners of information’: Join Protect Our Journalists

On the ground, journalists stand side by side with health workers to keep the public
informed. Writer Czyka Tumaliuan, together with photojournalist Jes Aznar, and
industrial engineer Mark Tumaliuan, initiated a project that aims to reduce the risk of
infection for the “frontliners of information,” as Czyka would call them. With Protect Our
Journalists, the goal is to build customized safety kits and continue donating personal
protective equipment (PPE) to far-flung areas in the country where journalists are.

As a practitioner himself, Aznar shares that the custom in the newsroom is to avoid
hospitals and enclosed spaces where there’s high potential for exposure, even with a
full set of PPE.

“For me, a PPE is by no means a license to go out and be as close to possible

exposure,” Aznar says. Despite this, he continues to cover and puts himself under a
self-imposed quarantine after every assignment. He is currently on his second
quarantine.

For frontliners like Aznar, the need for safety equipment is alarming. Currently, Mark
has created a system where individuals can volunteer their skills in accounting,
designing, and transportation management.

Together with Kwago and Pushpin Visuals, the project also aims to create booklets
about best practices for media safety and instructions for safe PPE use.

“We need more community journalists reporting about the situation of people during the
lockdown for accurate and hyper-localized information for the public,” says Czyka when
asked about the difficulty in risking their lives for the project. “With the prevalence of
pandemic myths and false information online, journalism today saves lives… It’s a
social responsibility to serve [the public].”

Sign up as a volunteer for #ProtectOurJournalists by joining this group. Volunteer roles

can be seen here.

Screenshot from COMPUTER PROFESSIONALS UNION

For the more technically inclined: Fact-check with CPU

Computer Professionals Union (CPU), a non-profit organization that advocates for

freedom of information, started wondering how information technology and computer
professionals can help with the ongoing health crisis in the country.

“While [the government is] coming out with their own statements regarding the
implementation of their policies, we wanted to see the ‘ground truth’ from citizens who
are experiencing the effects of these policies,” says Mark Joseph Yanto, secretary
general of CPU.
Thus, they came up with COVID19PH Report, another platform where citizens can track
and report implementation of promised LGU and national policies and programs such as
social amelioration funds, health and food provisions, and public transportation.

Volunteers who can verify, collate, and preprocess data are needed for the program.
Those more technically inclined may work on programming, mapping, and website
development. CPU aims to plot findings geographically and monitor trends or
commonalities across the country.

Sign up as a volunteer for COVID19PH Report by sending an email at secretariat@cp-

union.com.

Illustrations by BRYAN MONTALLANA/MARIA MEDIARITO

For artists hoping to help frontliners: Make #ArtForMedPH

“Artists aren’t frontliners, but we can support frontliners easily,” says Maria Mediarito, an
illustrator who participated in the online fundraising campaign #ArtForMedPH initiated
by local artists.

Similar to commissioning art, the goal is for the artist to profit from art requests, but this
time the money goes straight to hospitals, health centers, or donation drives dedicated
to medical frontliners. The proof of donation serves as payment for the artists, with them
essentially creating the work for free and on a trust-basis. Volunteer artists like
Mediarito have base rates for specific kinds of works while others accept any amount of
donation for a basic portrait.

“In these trying times, I see #ArtForMedPH as an opportunity to help rather than an
additional work. If these donations can save lives of COVID-19 [patients] and front
liners, back pains are just small wounds to endure,” says Bryan Montallana, who also
contributed to the campaign.

As of writing, Mediarito has raised over ₱15,000 which went directly to Tondo Medical
Center (her choice of beneficiary), and Montallana raised over ₱29,000 which went to
local hospitals and organizations.

When asked why she decided to participate, Mediarito credits her self-imposed duty: “If
you know you can do something to help, you have the responsibility of acknowledging
that. It’s up to you whether or not you want to participate, I’d never look down on an
artist who didn’t want to join — we’ve all got our own schedules and lives to live.
However, we should always be aware of our individual agency.”

Join the #ArtForMedPH movement by adding your own donation links and
mechanics here, or by using the hashtag with a public account.
Within the new normal, the situation
presents a unique challenge
to every educational leader’s decision-
making process. Hence, to sustain
the delivery of quality of instruction to
every school, this article presents
opportunities for responding issues,
problems and trends that are
arising and will arise in the future due to
COVID-19 pandemic. The
author has a keen interest in the current
and future trends in the new
normal education. According to Karalis
(2020), what is worth studying
after returning to normality, are the
implications that have arisen for
the day after, that is, what adjustments
need to be made, the extent of
the situation and to define the basic
dimensions of education and
learning in formal education systems
and organizations amid
educational disruptions.
Wearing of Face Masks and Physical
Distancing
Along with the current spread of
COVID-19 pandemic, physical
distancing and face masks wearing to
public and private schools are
compulsory once classes are resumed or
started. Governments around
the world have issued policies and
guidelines to implement physical
distancing in order to flatten the pandemic
curve (Greenstone & Nigam,
2020; Thunstrom et al., 2020). In
addition, wearing of face masks or
even personal protective equipment
(PPE) as a public health
intervention would probably intercept
the transmission link and
prevent communicable diseases (Huang,
2020). Thus, students, faculty
members and non-teaching staff should be
required to wear face masks
and maintain physical distancing with
each other when going to
schools. In addition, they will be
required to strictly follow hygienic
practices, health protocols and other
precautionary measures such as
contact tracing, foot baths, sanitation and
frequent handwashing. One
of the challenges of schools is to reduce
student-teacher ratio which will
lead to problems like lack of classrooms
and other physical plants and
facilities, lack of teachers and lack of
learning materials. Nonetheless,
public health is a concern. Thereby, this
recommends every learning
institution to plan such measures and
policies on physical distancing
and wearing of face masks.
Within the new normal, the situation
presents a unique challenge
to every educational leader’s decision-
making process. Hence, to sustain
the delivery of quality of instruction to
every school, this article presents
opportunities for responding issues,
problems and trends that are
arising and will arise in the future due to
COVID-19 pandemic. The
author has a keen interest in the current
and future trends in the new
normal education. According to Karalis
(2020), what is worth studying
after returning to normality, are the
implications that have arisen for
the day after, that is, what adjustments
need to be made, the extent of
the situation and to define the basic
dimensions of education and
learning in formal education systems
and organizations amid
educational disruptions.
Wearing of Face Masks and Physical
Distancing
Along with the current spread of
COVID-19 pandemic, physical
distancing and face masks wearing to
public and private schools are
compulsory once classes are resumed or
started. Governments around
the world have issued policies and
guidelines to implement physical
distancing in order to flatten the pandemic
curve (Greenstone & Nigam,
2020; Thunstrom et al., 2020). In
addition, wearing of face masks or
even personal protective equipment
(PPE) as a public health
intervention would probably intercept
the transmission link and
prevent communicable diseases (Huang,
2020). Thus, students, faculty
members and non-teaching staff should be
required to wear face masks
and maintain physical distancing with
each other when going to
schools. In addition, they will be
required to strictly follow hygienic
practices, health protocols and other
precautionary measures such as
contact tracing, foot baths, sanitation and
frequent handwashing. One
of the challenges of schools is to reduce
student-teacher ratio which will
lead to problems like lack of classrooms
and other physical plants and
facilities, lack of teachers and lack of
learning materials. Nonetheless,
public health is a concern. Thereby, this
recommends every learning
institution to plan such measures and
policies on physical distancing
and wearing of face masks.
Within the new normal, the situation
presents a unique challenge
to every educational leader’s decision-
making process. Hence, to sustain
the delivery of quality of instruction to
every school, this article presents
opportunities for responding issues,
problems and trends that are
arising and will arise in the future due to
COVID-19 pandemic. The
author has a keen interest in the current
and future trends in the new
normal education. According to Karalis
(2020), what is worth studying
after returning to normality, are the
implications that have arisen for
the day after, that is, what adjustments
need to be made, the extent of
the situation and to define the basic
dimensions of education and
learning in formal education systems
and organizations amid
educational disruptions.
Wearing of Face Masks and Physical
Distancing
Along with the current spread of
COVID-19 pandemic, physical
distancing and face masks wearing to
public and private schools are
compulsory once classes are resumed or
started. Governments around
the world have issued policies and
guidelines to implement physical
distancing in order to flatten the pandemic
curve (Greenstone & Nigam,
2020; Thunstrom et al., 2020). In
addition, wearing of face masks or
even personal protective equipment
(PPE) as a public health
intervention would probably intercept
the transmission link and
prevent communicable diseases (Huang,
2020). Thus, students, faculty
members and non-teaching staff should be
required to wear face masks
and maintain physical distancing with
each other when going to
schools. In addition, they will be
required to strictly follow hygienic
practices, health protocols and other
precautionary measures such as
contact tracing, foot baths, sanitation and
frequent handwashing. One
of the challenges of schools is to reduce
student-teacher ratio which will
lead to problems like lack of classrooms
and other physical plants and
facilities, lack of teachers and lack of
learning materials. Nonetheless,
public health is a concern. Thereby, this
recommends every learning
institution to plan such measures and
policies on physical distancing
and wearing of face masks.