MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – The Philippines’ Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has left no stone unturned to ensure that Filipinos are safe from infection from the coronavirus.

IATF has already put in place mandated protocols like the wearing of face masks and face shields, rules on physical distancing, limiting the capacities of public venues, home-quarantining children aged 14 and below as well as senior citizens 65 and over.

Now, IATF wants to complete its mantra of “Mask. Hugas. Iwas.” (Mask, Hand-washing and Avoiding crowded venues).

In its latest resolution, IATF has authorized cops and other law-enforcement personnel to stop citizens who are out in public and to smell their hands to make sure that they are strictly complying with the “hugas” part. Cops will be smelling hands to make sure citizens have washed their hands with soap and water.

First-time violators will be warned by the police. Repeat offenders will be fined P500 to P1,000 and could also face jail time.

To repeat offenders, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque says, “Manigas kayong lahat” (you can all harden).

SILAY CITY, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Iloilo Bureau) – In the southern city of Silay, Negros Occidental province in the Philippines, Filipinos are turning into zombies, or at least are being paraded as such.

Law enforcement authorities are rounding up health protocol violators, those who don’t wear face masks as required under the country’s Covid-19 community quarantine. But instead of a fine or jail time, the violators are being forced to march in the city’s streets, with hands outstretched like those we see in scary Hollywood movies.

In contrast, moneyed and influential Filipinos get a slap on the wrist, like those who recently attended a birthday part of celebrity Tim Yap where they were caught on video not wearing face masks and not observing physical distancing. They were fined P1,500 each, considered loose change for people of their stature.

Only in the Philippines.