Chinese-Filipinos lament racism, call for unity as new coronavirus spreads

MANILA — With most of the new coronavirus cases coming from China, attention has again focused on the influx of Chinese tourists and workers in the Philippines.

Even in other countries where the 2019 novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019-nCoV ARD) has spread, media has reported a rising anti-Chinese sentiment and even racism. For instance, there have been reports of children of Chinese descent being bullied by schoolmates in the United States and Europe.

• READ: Anti-Chinese sentiment brews as world contains new coronavirus

In the Philippines, this has prompted younger members of the Chinese-Filipino community to post about how they are different from the new Chinese arrivals.

One circulating message mentions not only the fact that they were born and raised in the Philippines, but also how they do not eat exotic animals like bats and snakes -- two of the animals being investigated as the source of the new strain of coronavirus, which has killed at least 200 people.

Anti-crime crusader and Chinese-Filipino figure Teresita Ang-See told ABS-CBN News on Friday that she is saddened by how some younger members of their community and Filipinos in general have resorted to distancing themselves from the Chinese on the basis of race.

“It’s very sad. I feel so sad na imbes na sa panahong ito (that instead at this time) we stand as one against this fight, this virus, nagiging divise tuloy (it's becoming divisive),” she said.

“Hindi naman dapat na magkaroon ng division ang Tsinoy sa new immigrants and old immigrants.”

(There should be no division between the Tsinoy from new immigrants and old immigrants.)

The Philippines has seen an influx of Chinese arrivals, with improving ties between Manila and Beijing giving way to more Chinese investments in the country, particularly in offshore gaming, and greater inbound tourism.

Ang-See said Filipinos should respond in a way that is befitting a Christian country.

“Why is this happening? It’s narrow-minded thinking at a time of crisis,” she said in Filipino.

Ang-See was at the Manila City Hall on Friday with her group Kaisa Para sa Kaunlaran and another group the Filipino Chinese Amity Club to turn over 4,000 face masks to Manila Mayor Isko Moreno. On Friday morning, they also handed over 2,000 face masks to the Intramuros Administration.

LOOK: Tsinoy organizations Kaisa Para sa Kaunlaran and Filipino Chinese Amity Club with Tessie Ang-See donates 4,000 face masks to Manila Mayor Isko Moreno. (photo courtesy of organizations) @ABSCBNNews pic.twitter.com/sTGdLolufj

— Kristine Sabillo (@kristinesabillo) January 31, 2020

Ang-See said they decided to donate the face masks to help prevent the spread of the new strain of coronavirus and to support public servants, especially traffic enforcers who also need face masks to protect themselves against pollution.

But she said people should practice proper hygiene as face masks are not enough to protect them.

Ang-See said there are also other Chinese-Filipinos giving out face masks in the Ongpin area in Manila.

This coincides with social media posts of Chinese nationals who were seen distributing free face masks in Makati.

BORDERLESS

Ang-See said people should remember that the virus “knows no boundaries.”

“During these times, we can’t have a you-against-me attitude,” she explained. “We are lucky because the virus did not originate from our country.”

The fast-spreading 2019-nCoV originated from Wuhan, capital of the eastern Chinese province of Hubei, and has killed more than 200 people and infected at least 10,000 as of Friday.

The disease, which manifests as fever, cough and difficulty breathing, has reached beyond Chinese borders, with confirmed cases in other parts of Asia, North America and Europe.

On Thursday, the Philippines confirmed its first case- a Chinese woman from Wuhan who arrived in the country on Jan. 21. She is now asymptomatic yet still confined at an undisclosed Metro Manila hospital.

• Philippines confirms first case of new coronavirus

Malacañang on Friday announced a ban on travelers coming from Hubei province, while other countries have completely shut out those coming from all of mainland China.

A RECURRING PROBLEM

Ang-See said there were also instances of racism when the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) spread globally almost a decade ago.

“We haven’t learned from our experiences that viruses have nothing to do with race,” she said.

Newspaper columnist Wilson Lee Flores said: “The recent coronavirus problem seems to have brought out some unspoken misunderstandings, age-old negative stereotypes or some latent anti-Chinese racism in our society and even in other parts of the world.”

The 7th generation ethnic Chinese, who has lived in the Philippines his whole life, called it “unfortunate” and said it goes against the country’s democracy “which protects the equal rights and dignity of all people regardless of ethnic, religious or socio-economic background.”

He said the old stereotypes against the Chinese could be attributed to the Spanish colonial era.

He said that while Filipinos were also victims of discrimination by Spaniards, the colonizers “committed double or triple discriminations against the Muslim or Moro and Chinese minorities based on race, different religion and also fears of Chinese entrepreneurial success.”

VIRUS OF RACISM

“Racism doesn't only victimize certain minorities or communities in our society, it morally diminishes all of us, it threatens social peace, national unity and national progress,” the columnist said.

He said the only positive thing that can be said now is that racism “can be recognized as a real social problem that needs to be condemned as evil (and) that the phenomenon of social media has magnified and amplified this virus of racism which we should fight to stop.”

Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo also said the issue of racism should be addressed, adding that he has heard of how some Chinese-Filipinos now make sure to speak in Filipino in public so people won’t avoid them.

“What we are avoiding is an illness. It’s a virus. It can affect anybody,” he said.

“At this time, unfortunately, cases are coming mostly from China. But since last week there are no more flights from Wuhan and now we have a total ban,” Domingo pointed out.

“I hope we can all just work together. Bullying and being judgmental won’t help us,” he said.