Bagong Taon Ay Mag Bagong Buhay

  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Tuloy-tuloy lang ang ekwentuhan

I just might run as a list MP in the NZ Parliament

Photo c/o RMO

The country was preoccupied with fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, and now that we have seemingly beaten it, the next big thing to focus now is rebuilding the country, our economy. But it is also an election year and we are beginning to see political parties ramping up their platform and candidates. We already have the first Filipino MP in the person of Atty. Paulo Garcia from the National Party. I was listening to former MP and former Auckland City mayor John Banks in one of his radio show on Magic Talk (afternoons) mistake Paulo for a woman. Perhaps it is time to up the media presence of Paulo. With only months to go before the elections, expect to see more action from all the political parties.

As a Filipino-Kiwi I would be thrilled to see more MPs who are of Filipino descent join Paulo in the NZ Parliament. That is why I am a bit surprised with the candidacy of Romy Udanga (North Shore) and Monina Hernandez (East Coast Bays) from the Labour Party. I know there are heaps of Filipinos in North Shore. How about in East Coast Bays? There are two ways to get into Parliament: winning an electorate and being ranked in the list system. I don't really see a future of two Filipino Labour MPs in Parliament even with the popularity of Auntie Jacinda. Perhaps one is a possibility. Is this a strategy to field two candidates to get as much Filipino votes as possible? Will the Filipino votes be enough for a Filipino list MP from Labour? Do Filipinos in NZ vote for parties or for personalities? I understand Paulo is also running as a Filipino list MP for National. Now that jobs are threatened, I dread the day when I get redundant or lose my job, and put my hat in the ring to run as a list MP for a third party. But that's another ekwento mo!

Basketball draft

Photo c/o edmon1974.wordpress.com

My first memory of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) was going to one of the side streets of Paco, Manila, to submit my name into the pool of the fledgling PBA. I submitted my brother's name too. A few weeks later we saw our names published in the Manila Times to be called up by the Seven-Up Uncolas for try-outs. My brother and I were both nearly 5'9", although my younger brother was much heftier and a better basketball player with his left hand. We were probinsyanos who played in the high school varsity team. We never went. I don't know why.

The PBA was formed in 23 January 1975 and the teams were: Mariwasa-Noritake Porcelainmakers, Carrier Weathermakers, Toyota Comets, Presto Ice Cream, Seven-Up Uncolas, Crispa Redmanizers, Royal Tru-Orange, Tanduay Distillery, and the U/Tex Weavers. The first game was played at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on 09 April 1975. The league just gained strength throughout he years.

As I write this, I'm made aware of the wonderful possibilities for Filipino-Kiwi basketball players to join the draft for the New Zealand National Basketball League (NBL). I had an awesome Zoomustahan with Justin Nelson, the General Manager of the NZ NBL last Saturday. This episode was for my NetKapihan show. I've uploaded it online and have started to receive great feedback from coaches and parents, wanting this or that player, or wanting their sons to join the draft. I always point them to the NZ NBL website www.nznbl.basketball to get all the full details for the draft. I don't know why, for short people like us, we really love basketball. The basketball court becomes the centre of the community: aside form the players, family and fans, you can also see food vendors by the sidelights, selling the yummiest and tastiest Filipino food lutong bahay style. One can also get the latest chismis and chika ranging from showbiz to employment and immigration concerns. What is a Filipino community without a basketball game?

This wonderful opportunity in the NZ NBL draft should not be missed. They say that height is might in basketball. Yes it is true. We have tall players now because of their mixed parentage. But fret not you smaller but agile players, for I'm sure there's s space for you on NZ basketball. It is your abilidad on the basketball court that will carry you and make you shine. You have to go to the process, to find out, to do away with the what ifs in your life. My brother and I missed out many years ago. I wouldn't want that to happen to you too.

Leaving big sister's house

Photo c/o stats.govt.nz

28 February, New Zealand reports its first case of Covid-19, a person in their 60s who travelled from Iran to Auckland. The following day, staff from the Ministry of Health begin meeting direct flights landing at NZ airports from Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Japan and South Korea. Panic buying at supermarkets for toilet paper, hand sanitiser and food products. 04 March is the second case of an Auckland woman in her 30s who has visited northern Italy. The following is the third case, 06 March fourth case, 07 March fifth case. 11 March, when the World Health organisation (WHO) declared the Covid-19 as a pandemic. 17 March amidst rising number of cases in NZ and globally, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says, "be strong, but be kind. We will be OK."

11:59 pm of March 25 Aotearoa New Zealand moves to alert level four, and the entire nation goes into self-isolation. "We have a window of opportunity to stay home, break the chain of transmission and save lives," says Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. A prior series of serious Covid-19 related events made her decide to close our borders. Four, crisp, direct to the point words she uttered "it is that simple" made everything stop, except for very essential services: public transportation, nurses, doctors, healthcare workers, among a few others were the exceptions.

When alert level four was implemented, it automatically kept everyone in quarantine, self-isolation, what would later on be called as staying in your bubble. The people whom you were with at midnight became your bubble for the next four weeks. What would later on be termed as the new normal slowly came into play: contact less shopping, social distancing, continuous hand washing for 20 minutes, online or Zoom meetings, homeschooling thru e-learning, and staying in one's bubble. I specifically stayed awake until midnight and right after to monitor how Kiwis responded to the call. I live halfway up the hill and could see the roads in the valley. Normally a few vehicles would be up and about but this time the roads were clear of any vehicles, even way before midnight. The following day, saw photos and videos, of the empty streets of Auckland, Wellington, Hamilton, Christchurch, Queenstown, among many other cities and towns.

A few food entrepreneurs began to delivery groceries, food, etc. Long queues began to appear in supermarkets (the only place to sell food products, etc.) and one could hear a general stillness in the surroundings (free from the sound of motor vehicles). After a few days, one could begin to hear the wonderful sound of birds chirping, and slowly see the skies turn from grey to blue.

7 weeks after and we're now officially a country of 5-million Kiwis. One of the culprits indirectly is the Covid-19 pandemic. New Zealand had to undergo a long lock-down wherein only essential service personnel are the only ones allowed to be outside their dwelling places. It is not only NZ who have had a spiked in population growth, there are other countries I'm sure. There's a new term to be used when babies born during this period will be called pandemic babies or better yet coronials! Happiest amazing birthday!

Ang Probinsyano

Photo c/o wikipedia.org

46 years ago today, I arrived in Manila to start my second year of collegiate studies. Actually, I really wanted to study Agribusiness at the University of Philippines in Los Banos, perhaps as a result of growing up in my grandparent's farm. But due to financial constraints I passed the UPCAT but wasn't able to study at UPLB, and instead took a semester of preparatory Engineering at the Southern City Colleges, and another semester in Liberal Arts at the Zamboanga State College. That is probably the biggest failure I have in my entire life, the inability to study at UPLB to pursue my dreams. After my first collegiate year in the City of Flowers, I was ready to conquer the big, bad city, Manila. I was exposed to all the positive and negative aspects of big city life! My education was not just confined inside the campus. It was further expanded and enriched in the streets, nooks and crannies of the city that was eventually incorporated into Metro Manila. At one point, there were 12-million other students living and learning from the city. Yes students! All of us were learning how to cope and live in an ever changing world. It has been a roller-coaster ride until July 2008 when I had to leave for Aotearoa New Zealand, and that is another story!

Jose Rizal's 1st birthday

Photo c/o britannica.com

I have an upcoming blog post related to Jose Rizal and decided to re-post this which first appeared in one of the June 2017 editions of a New Zealand-based community newspaper Filipino Migrant News. This post will have a direct connection with the upcoming one.

If he was alive, Dr. Jose P. Rizal would be 156 years old today.  No one in recent history has lived up to that age, but in the hearts and minds of many Filipinos---JPR's ideals, dreams, convictions, love, purpose, desire, and hope for the Philippines lives on.  There have been many books, articles, essays, and stories written about him. His life has been brought to life in the silver screen with movies and documentaries.  I believe, plays have been written and dramatized on stage about his life.  But this post is not about his being a hero, it is about his very 1st birthday.

In today's standard, he would have come from an upper middle class family, not too rich though, but still having a comfortable life.  His parents are leaseholders of a hacienda and a nearby rice farm owned by the Dominican Order.  Good business, yes, but could be threatened when a senator is contemplating to file a bill on "unlimited rice."  And that is on top of the encroachment of subdivision developers to the rice-fields in Calamba.

Since everyone has a nickname, his could be JP.  And what do Filipino families normally do when a child is one year old?  They'll have a children's party, either at home or in one of those fast-food joints that offers a venue, mascots, and food to celebrate a child's birthday.  His birthday party won't be as lavish as Al's (Paciano) his older brother which was held in the ancestral home.  Al (his dad adored Al Pacino, the actor and so it was decided that his 1st born son will be named Al, near enough to Paciano) had more than a hundred guests, with heaps of food that included three lechons.

His parents can choose from many venues, but most parents often go for either Jollibee or McDonald's.  It would be safe to say that his parents will choose Jollibee.  It will be their 7th time to celebrate a child's 1st birthday party, of course it won't be as huge and lavish but still important enough to justify celebrating.  Because his parents lead a very busy life, running a business and having seven kids, they'll opt to just get the Jollibee birthday food package that comes in various price ranges.  Of course the meal should always have spaghetti, chicken joy, Yum Burger, regular fries, soft-drinks, sundae.  Little JP will not eat these food because he is still fed mama's healthy breast milk.  That is the only sustenance that keeps him from being too sickly.  But he will have a very tiny bit of his birthday cake, homemade by an aunt.

Mind you, the food is not really for the kids, it is for the family, friends and guests, including a big group of ninangs and ninongs (most often the list is too long, the church seems to frown on these practice). There's something about a child's 1st birthday that draws, the ninongs and ninangs to come out and join (normally they'll only be present during baptism and the 1st birthday).  After that, it would be rare to see all of them in one place, and for some, even rarer to see them at all.  They'll be bringing all sorts of gifts (baby clothes, books, toys, etc.).  Some of his parent's business associates might get invited (to reinforce the business relationship), well some of them will even be ninongs and ninangs.

Little JP will be wearing his special 1st birthday party attire of a shirt and a jumper bought by his sisters, matched with white socks and tiny white rubber shoes bought by his brother.  They were purchased by his siblings from the shops inside SM City Calamba which is a couple of kilometers from their house and on his jumper will be his Jollibee name-tag of a smiling Jollibee that says "Hi I'm JP" plus the obligatory Jollibee party hat.

The party host together with Jollibee the mascot will then make sure that everything flows as smoothly as possible, from the food, party games, balloons, dressing up the venue, etc.  Everything is easily recorded by everyone's smartphones, there is no need to get an official photographer/videographer.  In fact, JP's life at this point, has already been well documented with photos and videos shared on Facebook.

JP carried by his mom blows the candle on the birthday cake and all the kids have a piece.  Towards the end of the party, all the kids will line-up to receive their loot-bags from JP.  By then, JP who has been watching all of these proceedings (perhaps with amusement and awe), bounced from one lap to another (sisters, relatives, ninangs) is already so tired and sleepy.

He may not remember all or any of these, but he just might, 32 years later when he's facing the firing squad in Luneta, when his life story comes in a quick flashback.  His 1st Jollibee birthday party might just be one of them.

My television journey 1.0

Photo c/o philstar.com

I've always been a sucker for the underdog, always favoring the road less traveled, unpopular issues, unknown personalities, the ones that others chose to ignore, didn't want to touch, wasn't cool enough. It was a requirement in one of my master's classes at UP-IMC to do an internship and I chose PTV-4, the People's Television. That was the start of my television journey. It had a colorful history (one of ABS-CBN's TV channel, sequestered and used by President Ferdinand E. Marcos when Martial Law was declared, and finally recaptured by rebels during the EDSA Revolution (People Power Revolution). But it was not fully equipped and resourced by the time I arrived as an intern. The place had been ransacked, equipment stolen, and there was even a story floating around, that an entire OB van disappeared from the motor pool. I was always excited to come to the station, riding a jeepney or bus, all the way to Broadcast Plaza in Bohol Avenue, Quezon City. That was the only time I was nearest to the present day TV studios of ABS-CBN, aside from the visits, later on to their radio stations as required by my job in the music industry.

I have fond memories of my TV internship: production offices that were extremely hot (no aircon because a fire broke-out in the building), late night taping (that's when I first met Maan Hontiveros, talk show host and real EDSA Revolution hero, who later on became my boss at Warner Music Philippines), up and down the labyrinth, the maze, that was Broadcast Plaza, walking through dark, unlighted hallways, among many other value-laden experiences. And that was only inside the complex. I remember colleagues endearingly call Channel 4 as "channel poor." We were literally poor and lacking not only in high-tech, sophisticated equipment, but even simple things like camera cables. We were out in the field covering a Philippine Air Force event at Villamor Air Base and our cables didn't work properly. Being the intern, I was tasked to source it out. Not knowing anyone but feeling an affinity with government employees, I bravely approached the crew from Radio-TV Malacanang, who lent us the needed cables. That incident was my introduction to RTVM wherein I will find myself eventually doing projects from presidents FVR, Erap and PGMA.

When I started my internship, PTV-4 was one of the official 1988 Summer Olympics station in the Philippines (the other one was RPN-9). With that affiliation came the hope that the station will have its studios and facilities updated with high-tech and sophisticated equipment. Sadly I didn't get to see how that panned out because I had to end my internship having met the required number of hours. It was only many years later, when I started doing some board-work with the Philippine Broadcasting Service (PBS) at the Visayas Avenue main office of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), when I visited PTV-4 which transferred to its new studios and facilities at the back of the PIA Building. I was really impressed with the transformation. The people whom I knew told me that after I left, the station did get the much needed boost in terms of equipment, staff, benefits, etc.

My last and final encounter with PTV-4 was when I became a writer/production staff of Kaya Natin 'To with Ruth Abao-Espinosa as host. The show started with the station and later on moved to IBC-13 wherein I became the show's director, but that's another story. We normally taped our continuity spiel at the network's studios, sometimes after Ruth's work as newscaster of the midday report, at times after the nightly newscast at around 10 p.m. Those were the only times the studio was available. The cold blast from the aircon while we were taping, reminded me of the hot days and nights I've spent as an intern at the old PTV-4. Through the years PTV-4 had to fight for sales, ad revenues. It is no longer purely a non-commercial entity, it's a hybrid. In the beginning, the government didn't allot any financial help to the station. This was later on amended, allowing the government to infuse funds but not that much really. The station still had to go after TV commercials for it's operations.

I valued my internship times because it opened my eyes to the power and possibilities that television can do to people, events, issues, institutions, religion. I saw why it was necessary, important, and crucial, that government should also have a TV station, with a mandate to serve the people, not focusing too much at the ratings game but focusing more on producing quality and informative programmes. It broadened my knowledge and understanding of media literacy, development communication, and propaganda. I began to see and realize why and how groups of people, the government included, would like to espouse, propagate, and perpetuate a certain way of life, using the power and influence of television. I became fascinated and enamored with political economy as one of the major perspectives of media studies.

Through the years I moved and worked from one station/network to another: PTV-4, RPN-9, IBC-13, GMA-7, UNTV-37. I was never an employee, always an independent contractor coming in to do a job, a project. I chose that path, it was a conscious effort, an independence that I cherished. I never had the chance to work for ABS-CBN. The nearest I got was volunteering for the 1969 presidential elections and finding myself riding in a jeep with the networks provincial Radyo Patrol reporters, going from different polling booths, to gather news and information. It was the 2nd time that the Marcos-Lopez tandem was going to the polls. They were very successful in the 1965 presidential elections. Back in the day, Philippine politics always had that hidden, invisible agenda, a theory perhaps, that at least one candidate must come from outside Manila or Luzon. Marcos was from the Ilocos region (Luzon) and Fernando Lopez was from Iloilo (Visayas). Fernando and his brother Eugenio Sr. owned ABS-CBN, Manila Chronicle, Meralco, among many other businesses. In 1965, Lopez for vice-president wasn't the popular choice. He was 3rd in popularity behind Rafael Salas (Western Visayas) and Emmanuel Pelaez (Mindanao). But come 1969, he was the choice of Marcos to again be his vice-president. The Marcos-Lopez tandem went against Sergio Osmena Jr. (president) and Genaro Magsaysay (vice-president). It was a strong team, proven track records, efficient political machinery, and media clout and influence. I could still remember one of the campaign jingles playing on the radio sang to the tune of my native Zamboanga (No Te Vayas).

TV stations and networks will always have an agenda. It doesn't matter whether you're a commercial or non-commercial entity. A commercial one would like to maintain it's top ratings to generate more sales and ad revenues, utterly relying and at the mercy of sponsors. A non-commercial one would like to disseminate it's masters message to as wide a demographics as possible, not worrying too much on sales and ad revenues. Will the two agendas collide? Or can they co-exist in one station/network? The present day television landscape in the Philippines will, might give you a clue.

The day after

Photo c/o Eric Nopanen, unsplash.com

The radio-TV broadcasting business has been disrupted by advancements in technology (social media, texts, 4K, 3G, 4G, 5G, digital technology, etc.). I know most of these companies are losing money or maybe making a small profit. Just remember that the airwaves is a finite resource: there is only limited capacity in the spectrum. What and why is it then that keeps owners clinging to their rights to the airwaves? It is the idea that they can have power, control people, influence policies, become a kingmaker, etc. Look how our youth and young adults are now, after being exposed to decades of programming from the network. See any changes? Any good changes? Public service you say? Yes of course but with a profit motive. Notice how every network has it's own foundation and charitable organization that are doing a great job of course but also promoting their network all the time.

If you want to put up a radio or TV station, how much do you think you'll have to invest? How much money do you think you'll make? Yet people will still gravitate to owning a broadcasting network. And if you're losing money, you can still make more money out of your losing business: sell the network to the highest bidder. For sure there will be takers. Remember the magic and power of being an owner of such a network. You will make money not from running the business but BY BEING IN THE BUSINESS. Tell me a private network that doesn't have any agenda. Of course, none, everyone has one, remember Agenda Setting Theory in communication?

Why is it that during the two EDSA Revolutions and the coups in-between, one of the primary objective was to control a radio or TV station? Precisely that magical power of disseminating information en masse, rapidly and quickly. One station to many receivers. But that is no longer true actually because of the so-called disruptors. The free-flow of information has been opened. You can start your own radio station and do an online broadcast, go on YouTube and become a TV star, etc. etc. Of course there will be gatekeepers, the disruptors i.e. Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, etc. and add to the list  Globe, Smart, Vodafone, Verizon, who provide access. They are actually the new kingmakers. Dig deeply and you will see interlocking ownership or interests in them.

Going back to the ABS-CBN dilemma, what do you think would be the final outcome? Who is or will be at the losing end? They have the resources, equipment, staff, etc. Why don't they just go online? Oh but the masa are the ones whom we are serving and they have not much money for cable or online. That's not true, almost everyone has a smartphone, that can access the shows. Owning the frequency, the airwaves, is now more of a status symbol. Broadcasting is actually an old man's game. It's narrowcasting (online, web-based, for a specific target market) that is more effective, the now, the here. The shotgun approach is no longer valid.

Just remember the ready takers out there, with their own agendas, salivating at the prospect of getting this established network. Not really making that much money but hey the power and influence it brings is more valuable than gold.

ANZAC Day 2020

Photo c/o mch.govt.nz

This year's rallying cry is: Apart, but together as one!  A couple of years ago while I was still living in Hamilton, I had the privilege of experiencing and attending Cambridge High School's commemoration of ANZAC Day.  There was a slide presentation of the 35 Old Boys who did not return, the youngest at 16 and the oldest just over 40.  These volunteers were ordinary farm boys just like the rest from all over Aotearoa New Zealand who were at the prime of their youth.  In total an estimated 100,000 volunteered (10% of New Zealand's 1-million population then) to go to the Great War or also known as World War One.  It was called as such because it was supposed to be the war to end all wars.  Of this number 58,000 were either killed or injured.

The slide presentation was galvanizing.  I could feel the admiration and awe coming from the students and staff of the sacrifices made by these young boys.  I could also feel the collective Mana of these youth who laid down their lives, for us to enjoy the freedom that New Zealand is now experiencing.

Today is ANZAC Day, acronym for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.  The day commemorates all New Zealanders killed in war and also honors returned servicemen and women.  The Corps was created in the early years of the Great War of 1914-1918.  They first saw action at Gallipoli, Turkey on 25 April 1915.  Thousands lost their lives in the Gallipoli campaign: British, French, Turks, including 8,500 Australians and 2,721 Kiwis.  It may have been a military defeat for our forces but for many Kiwis from then on it was the wake up call for us to feel as an equal among nations.  The present-day ceremonies at dawn held at war memorials all over Aotearoa New Zealand or overseas has become a symbol, a rallying call for us, to continue the fight for justice and peace.

This year's ANZAC Day celebration will be totally different from the previous ones because of the Covid-19 virus.  There will be no coming together at dawn at the war memorials, standing silently and solemnly experiencing the stillness of the night as it was in 1915.  What is asked is for us to stand in silence at 6 a.m. to honor the men and women who served our country.  And since this is also a war we are fighting against Covid-19, our front-liners will also be honored.  Just when our veterans and servicemen and women have started to dwindle in their ranks because of age, their numbers have now been increased by the front-liners of the war against Covid-19.

I thank our front-liners, as well as these young boys from Cambridge and all over the country, who has made it possible for me to be in New Zealand, who has been instrumental for making New Zealand a truly great nation to live in, and who continue to serve as an inspiration for us all to give our best without counting the cost.  #StandAtDawn

If I pursued a nursing career I will be fighting this war

Photo c/o JC Gellidon, unsplash.com

Nearly 50 years ago as I graduated from high school around this time, I was tempted to follow most of my classmates who opted for a career in medicine, nursing, and engineering. But what I really wanted was to be a farmer, to live and work in my grandparent's farm where I grew-up. I made it to UPLB but not able to officially enroll due to financial constraints, went to study engineering in a local college. That was a disaster for I didn't have the head for math and numbers. I eventually finished a degree in Literature, for I loved to read and fancied myself to be a writer.  I even imagined myself becoming a gentleman-farmer!  I have had a varied and colourful work-life: worked as a credit investigator, farm manager (growing tropical grapes and seedless watermelon), entrepreneur, a barter trader aka smuggler, gravitated to the academe as a high school and college teacher. Then I got bitten by radio and eventually TV and here I am today.

If I became a nurse (that was more practical and doable since it wasn't as expensive as studying to become a doctor) but back then I had this crazy fear of blood, that's why I chickened out from nursing; I am sure that I will do what our nurses are doing right now, I will be at the front-lines too! It's not a joke, I no longer have hematophobia, knowing me, I'm very sure I will be out there fighting this crazy war. Right now I'd like to go out and volunteer, but what good will that do? I can't go out because I am not trained nor fully equipped to fight this war. I will just contribute to the problems that our front-liners are already facing. The only thing that we can do to help our front-liners is to stay home and sit this one out.

As this Covid-19 war rages on, I now realize how our forefathers, how our grandparents, would have felt when they took up arms to fight the enemy, performed clandestine services, or simply disobeyed the oppressors. Just take a look at our front-liners all over the world, young and old, they have no fear in facing this unseen, deadly and traitorous enemy, knowing that some of them might not come out alive from this war! And here I am in the comforts of my home, very much alive because there are people who are willing to put their lives on the line. What can we do in this war effort? Fervently pray for our front-liners, that they will have the courage and strength to soldier on. They don't believe in that crazy notion that "he/she who runs away, lives to fight another day." They are our heroes and they are fighting for our lives. Don't let their sacrifices come to naught!

Matinding pakikibaka laban sa Covid-19

Photo c/o Kobu Agency, unsplash.com

Everyday the Covid-19 war brings more scary and terrifying news and statistics.  This invisible and traitorous enemy has quickly spread from Wuhan, China to practically all parts of the world, except perhaps for Antarctica.  There's no doubt that this is Public Enemy No. 1 and the crazy thing is there's no known cure yet for this deadly virus.  I'm sure heaps of scientists from all corners of the world are working overtime to find and discover the cure.  But until one is found, we will continue to see the rise of the numbers of people Covid-19 positive as well as see the vulnerable ones get sick and die.  Already I've known of some people who have died from this war.  So, while we are still waiting for the cure, there are ways to fight this war, simple ways actually: hand washing thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds, social distancing (keep a 2-meter gap between persons), self-isolation or quarantine (stay in your own bubble for a long period of time, perhaps 3-4 weeks), that will stop the spread and movement of this virus.  Already we are seeing countries like Israel, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Korea, and Japan beginning to see a slowing down of the spread of Covid-19.  We are all in this together, let's fight this war together!