Charles Teves
Former Senator Bongbong Marcos has uploaded his first vlog since being infected with COVID-19, clearing up any rumors and fake news that suggest he has succumbed to the virus.
“Welcome to my first vlog since recovering from this terrible COVID-19 that’s been plaguing the entire world. I’m feeling better. I’m starting to recover. This was really something of an experience because I did not realize how bad this COVID was until I got it.”
Marcos believes he got the virus when he was in Spain attending a wedding.
“Andun kame sa Espanya dahil yung isang pamangkin namin ay mag aasawa. Palagay ko dun ko nakuha eh.”
Marcos and his family heard that Metro Manila was set for a lockdown, and decided to go home asap.
Doctors advised Marcos to get tested immediately upon arriving in the Philippines. He arrived at a hospital and saw how the facility was unprepared.
“Di pa masyadong handa ang DOH at ang hospital.”
The line was too long so Marcos just went home thinking that it wasn’t anything serious.
“Sabi ko ‘flu lang naman eto, kaya ko gamutin ko.'”
But he realized after a week that his condition was much more than he initially thought.
“After one week, gumising ako di na talaga ako makahinga.”
He was rushed to the emergency room as he was being administered medical oxygen.
Marcos saw that the emergency room was packed, and asked the doctor if he could leave but will be on medications and oxygen.
“Mag iisang buwan na ako sa kwartong ito.”
He is grateful for the health workers for saving him.
“Ako ay tiyak na tiyak na sinalba ako ng ating mga healthcare workers.
“Kung di dahil sa kanila palagay ko yung tumama sakin, baka maging mas grabe pa.”
He urges people to not give the frontliners a hard time because these people know more than the average citizen.
“We owe a lot to our frontliners. Kung ano ang sabihin satin ng mga frontliner natin na pangangailan nila dapat ibigay natin.”
Frontliners deserve more than just praise.
“Talagang hero silang lahat, dapat hindi lang pinapalakpakan.”
Since he has been out of the public eye for quite some time, rumors have come up saying that the former senator has died.
Marcos jokingly says that if it wasn’t for the health workers who took care of him, the fake news of him dying would a reality.
“Kung hindi dahil sa kanila, naging totoo yung lumabas na balita na namatay na raw ako.”
He also urged people not to spread these fake news. Fake news caused panic buying and others.
“Wag tayong kalat ng kalat ng kahit anong balita.”
“Yung naglalabas ng fake news, wag niyong ginagawa yan, nakakasakit kayo ng tao.”
People should keep on practicing health measures such as washing hands, and observing social distancing.
Marcos also reveals that his family helps out the needy via relief goods.
He cannot thank the frontliners enough.
“Sa dami ng naranasan ko – at aaminin kong nagdusa [ako] – I’m still one of the lucky ones. I really am. Because of the good work n’ong ating mga doctors, ng ating mga nurse, ng ating mga tech med, all of them, nandito pa rin ako.
“Ang masasabi ko lang, ayaw na ayaw niyong magkaroon ng sakit na ito.
“Stay careful, stay safe, maraming salamat,” he said.
It was confirmed on March 31 that Marcos was infected. This was confirmed by his spokesperson Vic Rodriguez, 3 days after Marcos’ test results were released by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).
“Gumaganda na ang kondisyong pangkalusugan ni dating senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr makaraang ihayag sa resulta ng clinical test na isinagawa ng [RITM] na siya’y positibo sa COVID-19,”
In a statement on March 26, Marcos said that he was “feeling a little under the weather” after visiting Spain. This came with a photo showing him looking frail and weak.
Marcos arrived from Spain on March 13 and complained about a tight feeling in his chest. It was on March 22 that Marcos was brought to the emergency room after experiencing difficulty breathing.
“Simula noong Marso 13, 2020 hanggang sa ngayon ay sinusunod ng dating senador ang health protocol sa mga PUI (patients under investigation) at taimtim at tahimik niyang tinupad ang ipinaiiral na proseso ng gamutan, tulad ng safety mask at self-quarantine, at walang ingay na inilayo ang kanyang sarili maging sa kanyang pamilya,” Rodriguez said.
Marcos ran for the position of Vice President during the 2016 elections, and lost with controversy. He filed an electoral protest against Vice President Leni Robredo, which remains pending.
