Day 19 of Quarantine

It's my Day 19 of quarantine. 10 days na lang at muli na namang babalik sa opisina. Yan ay kung hindi nila i-extend pa itong muli. Pero sana bumalik na sa normal. Kaso mukhang may di kasiguraduhan kasi nga mukhang lumalala pa rin itong pandemic na ito. Our college of law released a memo this week. They said that the recommendation is to cancel all face-to-face classes even if quarantine would not extend. And PASS or DROP lang ang grade na pwedeng ibigay. Kung DROP man ang maging grade mo, you have 1 year to reenroll that subject. Bawal magbigay ang professor ng numerical equivalent na grade. Wow, I did not expect this scenario to happen on my first year in law school.

This morning nanaginip na naman ako. First time ko yatang mapanaginipan si Kim Kardashian. Nakitulog daw siya at ang kanyang asawa sa bahay namin. At inaway ko siya kasi di ko gusto yung asta niya sa bahay namin. Kaya kinonfront ko siya and told her I was disappointed na iba yung ugali niya, na gusto ko sana siya as a celebrity.

Anyway, yesterday, I started reading a fiction book (A Gentleman in Moscow) na nakita ko sa isa sa mga book reviews ni Bill Gates. Yun ang ginawa ko bago matulog. Itinigil ko muna ang social media dahil ilang linggo na ako babad dito. Maaga rin ako natulog, mga 11pm. Paggising ko, gulat na naman ako na nagpa-presscon na naman ang poon nyong si Pduts. At binatikos si Chel Diokno dahil sa pagtulong nito sa mga hinuling nag-rally para humingi ng pagkain. I mean, guuurl. Pero buti ay dinepensahan niya naman si Leni Robredo patungkol sa pag-solicit ng mga donasyon. Ifa-fire nya raw ang PACC commissioner na nagsabing paimbestigahan si Robredo ng NBI ukol dito. Syempre tingin ng tao, later on, ia-appoint lang din naman yun sa ibang position. Yan ang kaganapan sa huling presscon niya na walang kwenta--kung saan inihalintulad niya si Diokno sa isang janitor at ininsultong may malaking ngipin. Kita niyo, ginagawa niyang insulto ang isang janitor, at ang isang may malaking ilong. Kelan pa naging batayan ang itsura sa paglilingkod? Kakasuka.

Kahapon naman, nakipagdebate naman ako sa FB nang mag-post ang former officemate ko tungkol sa mga kagaguhang nangyayari. Syempre, todo depensa si ateng. Kaya nagreply ako ng mga counterarguments ko against sa mga punto niya. Of course, typical DDS.

ELEKSYON NA BA!? Kakapagod na ha. Anyway, don't forget to register starting May 1 again. Hay, I'm still sad my last vote was 2010 pa. AGH HATE MYSELF FOR THAT.

Establishing a routine

It's been almost a week now since the lockdown. Just to be clear: the total lockdown started last March 16 (Monday) in the evening. But our law classes were suspended last March 10 (Tuesday). And, our Oblicon prof did not push through with our class last March 9 (Monday). So, the last class we have attended was last March 7 (Saturday), which is our Legal Method class.

For work, I was on leave last March 16 (Monday), so the last office day I had was last March 13 (Friday). So technically, I have been isolated (well at least not doing anything) since March 14, both no office and class. So, this is my Day 7 of being alone, in a way. The only people I see on a normal day is the guard at the lobby of the apartment, people buying stuff in convenience stores, which is literally a handful lang, and other guards in other buildings, staff in convenience stores, a couple of people walking sometimes. I can literally count them in a given day. There are still vehicles along Katipunan but it's definitely much, much lesser compared to even the Holy Week, which is by the way, approaching as well.

Holy Thursday will be on April 9, and I should have bought ticket already. But since lockdown is until April 14, I don't wanna really go home because I might pass on the virus if I have it.

Yesterday, March 19, my roommate, Trish, passed by to get some of her clothes. And we were discussing (and even Mark mentioned it to me) that our lives are gonna be the same again. It will not be the life as we know it. Even if this pandemic ends, even if there are no new cases, the effect of this will last a lifetime. And it affects how we do work, how we study in schools, how we arrange events, etc.

Yesterday, I thought I was having dry cough. I did a couple of times, but I guess it was just because I ate, or I was thirsty. But I always think if I have acquired the virus every time I go out to buy food.

So far my routine is like this (which I hope I can sustain for a month):

• Wake up around 6:30-7:30am
• Do a daily workout for 30 minutes or so
• Take a bath right after
• Work from home: this can take an hour or 2 maybe. But usually, it's a light work since all offices are suspended
• Around 11:45am, go out to buy lunch. (I intend to buy dinner as well.)
• Around 6pm, eat dinner.

The rest of the day, I may study, read books, watch movies and series, etc.

I'm still finding out ways to keep myself from boredom. I'm thinking whether I should study, or just wait for the classes to resume, since perhaps it's not practical to keep on studying, and then, forget everything later on.

I'm currently reading Closed Chambers: The Rise, Fall and Future of the Modern Supreme Court by Edward Lazarus. A great read I found in a bookshop in Maginhawa, when I was with Mark, probably last week?

Anyway, just to update you with what's happening in the Philippines:

• The "great" president made a presscon again last night (or early morning, 1am, who even does that!?) reminding LGUs to follow rules set by the government. This is definitely an implied parinig to Vico Sotto as mayor of Pasig who pleas to the government if they can lift suspension of tricycles for transportation, since people cannot go to hospitals, for example.
• There are fake news spreading, where squatters or indigents are allegedly planning to loot or were looting Puregold stores. OK, this is getting messy. If it's real, then government has to step up on figuring the REAL CAUSE of this, and not simply to punish them. If it's not real, it definitely is some concoction by the government to give them a reason to declare Martial Law. This is getting out of hand. Government today is INCOMPETENT. Period. At least the executive department, the cabinet of the President. God, help the Philippines.

For my exercise update, it's my 3rd day this morning to do my daily workout. It's kinda simple, but not really challenging. As long as I insert half an hour of physical activity, that's good.

Yesterday, I also made a video call for around 4 hours with blockmates, because I was getting bored.

Fearless forecast: this suspension and lockdown will last longer than what is set now. This is going to be chaos, especially with the incompetency of the government.

Day 2 of Lockdown

Hey guys!

I can't believe that what I will write is an update on the ongoing global pandemic. It feels like I'm in the middle of an apocalypse or dystopian film. But it's true. The world, as I type, is suffering from a global pandemic called COVID-19. As of now, Philippines has a total of 202 cases. And the world is approaching 180,000 cases. Almost 7,500 have died worldwide. A lot of places are in total lockdown.

Metro Manila has been on lockdown since Monday night, March 16. All government and private office are closed for a month. So, we do not have work until April 14. Our law school (and, of course, all schools in Metro Manila) are suspended until the same date. UP has prohibited all means of classes, including online ones because of internet inequality.

This semester, I have 4 subjects. And so far, only one professor has reached out to us on what to do during the suspension for one month. He only gave us topics per week on which we may self-study. At least, we students have something to do. For work, they have no further instructions but to work from home.

It feels surreal. I've been alone in my apartment for 3 days now. I was absent last Monday because I was really uncomfortable going to work. I'm just afraid that I could randomly acquire the virus. (And I was just lazy going to work that day). And then on Tuesday, the total lockdown started. Law school was actually suspended since March 10, a week earlier.

I may have to post much more frequently, since I definitely have more time. And because I think it's important to document all that is happening around me and the world. I may need to document how my health goes, to keep my mental health intact, and just to remind everyone that would be reading this how everything will unfold, or how this will end hopefully.

It really feels weird. When I woke up this morning, I thought it was already Thursday. I can't keep track of time. Good thing convenience stores and restaurants nearby are still open. But some 24-hour fast food chain are now closing. Apparently, a curfew was also issued from 8pm-5am.

People are frustrated with the government. This current administration is the most incompetent this country has ever had. Imagine announcing a lockdown, or community quarantine, or whatever the government wants to call it, but then leaving its citizens without clear rules and regulations. Citizens are at a loss. I can't wait for the election. (Which reminds me, I have yet to register.)

For now, I just read cases and textbooks, and just watch random stuff on Youtube and Netflix. Yesterday, I cleaned our bathroom. I'm not yet getting crazy, but the limitations are killing me. I wanna workout. I wanna run and exercise. But I just get so lazy here in the apartment, I can't do any proper exercise. I have to wake-up early tomorrow and plan to what to do every single day.

I hope this pandemic ends, so we can all go back to our routines.

Almost a year done!

My last post was last June! So much has happened. And I still couldn't believe that I am here right now. Filled with stress but with joy as well. Law school is one hell of a ride. I had always been preparing for the sacrifices, the horror stories, the sleepless nights. Fortunately, I really do enjoy it. There are moments that I doubt myself, but usually, I get over it the next day and just live life one class at a time.

Finished first semester last December, and we are now almost half way the second semester. I usually have my deserved breaks during Saturday afternoons. That's why I remembered writing today.

Out of the original 23 students of the Evening Block 2024, 19 of us survived the first sem. The 4 of us dropped early on because of other opportunities. We were able to pass the 5 subjects (or so I think). We had Mol/o, Rasu/l, Marcel/o, Tamas/e and Jimene/z as profs for first semester.

I was also able to find my close friends. During the finals week, we booked an Airbnb and studied there for 3 days. I guess it helped.

With them, I can share things I couldn't share with the entire block. It's good that you have a tighter support group than the whole block, because you can ask them anything!

Pictures above are from today when we had lunch at Samgyupsalamat at One Park Drive.

So far so good. Of course, the experience is very difficult. But I think once we are able to finish the first year, everything will make sense. And everything will be much easier. So many cases to read, so many concepts to grasp, so commentaries that we cannot finish to read. But everything will be worth it. Everything is for the duty to public service. Naks.

Of course, thanks to the support of my boyfriend who's been very understanding every single day. Who manages to make time late at night meeting me up and spending time with me studying or just rushing for dinner since it's too late already.

When we watched '1917' on Valentine's Day.

But even though everything is going well with me, there are bad news and unfortunate happenings that I will not delve into. I hope everything will be fine with my Mom. I just feel sad that at this stage of my life, I can't help her financially or emotionally. I'm sure everything will eventually be fine.