Philippines: government refines children in the face of Delta variant
A father and his two children in the streets of Manila, March 20, 2020. AFP - TED ALJIBE
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
With the emergence of the Delta variant in the Philippines, the government fears a new wave.
He therefore imposed a new confinement on children aged 5 to 17 years.
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With our correspondent in Manila
,
Manon Tomzig
Elena Magaleng lives in a popular area of Manila. She does not know how she will announce this new confinement to her 12-year-old son. “
He will surely be very disappointed. I think it's difficult for him because he's been confined to the house for a long time, since the start of the pandemic. We could only go for a walk with him for a few days. While he is a very active child, who likes to run everywhere,
”she confides.
Of all the world's population, Filipino children are the ones who have lived the longest confinement: a year and a half.
They were only allowed out of their homes three weeks ago.
The government's announcement is all the more difficult for Elena Magaleng's son as he is the only one of the four children in the family to be under the age of 17.
So the only one in the home to be confined again, explains his mother.
“
When we go out, he always asks if he can come with us.
But he has no right.
Sometimes he starts to cry.
So I make sure to always bring him a little gift.
"
Back to school postponed
Forced to stay at home for almost a year and a half, Elena Magaleng's son is going around in circles.
His parents noticed the weight of the confinement on the child's behavior.
“
He stays lying on the bed or he goes to the neighbors.
Otherwise he watches television or plays on the cell phone,
she continues.
Sometimes when asked to do something he gets angry.
"
The children also have little hope of returning to school soon.
The start of the school year has been postponed by six weeks.
And no return to class has been announced.
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Philippines: in the confined daily life of street children in Manila