Lea Salonga. Image: Instagram/@msleasalonga
Lea Salonga drew flak recently after she called out those who are “complaining about the [COVID-19] quarantine period” by reminding them that much more was endured by those who went through the previous World Wars.
The Broadway star said “I hear you” to those who called her out and asked her to check her privileges. She resolved that she will just “post things that are factual” to avoid making “any unnecessary noise.”
Salonga first posted a quote addressing citizens “who are complaining about the quarantine period and curfews” on her Instagram page last Sunday, March 15. The quote, which has been making the rounds in the internet, was also reportedly earlier posted by motoring expert James Deakin. Incidentally, Mocha Uson, who is deputy administrator of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, also posted the same quote on her Twitter page on the same day.
“To those who are complaining about the quarantine period and curfews, just remember that your grandparents were called to war; you are being called to sit on the couch and watch Netflix,” the quote posted by Salonga, Deakin and Uson stated. “You can do this.”
Salonga, tagging a certain @chefgodfreylaforteza in the post, clarified that “Netflix” in the quote could be replaced with any other activity such as playing board games, reading books, writing, dancing or drawing.
“As much as I do enjoy Netflix, that isn’t the only way I’m occupying my time in quarantine,” she added. The singer also responded to comments urging her to do a privilege check, clarifying that the term “watch Netflix” on her post was merely a figure of speech.
“To those of you asking me to check my privilege, I hear you. I didn’t mean Netflix in a literal sense because I’m fully aware that not everyone has access to it,” she explained. “So replace it with something else you like to do. I only meant it as a figure of speech. Thanks for your time.”
Salonga further mulled over the enhanced community quarantine on her Facebook page yesterday, March 17. The international singer narrated how she and her family have been making themselves occupied during the quarantine.
“At my house, it’s been homework and TV shows for Nic, [‘Castlevania’] for me, video games, workouts, writing, and finding yarn for possible needlework projects,” she said.
Salonga also mentioned how one of her cousins in the United States, who she described as “one of the most robust people” she knows, tested positive for COVID-19. Her cousin has recovered from the virus but this apparently prompted her to think about others.
“There will be a segment of our population that will fare just fine. But majority of our countrymen? I honestly don’t know,” she stated. “It’s easy for many of us to flippantly recommend staying at home, but how do we recommend that to a daily wage earner? To someone that can’t see their families because of the lockdown?”
The singer also asked if the public should be “[pointing] fingers” during this time: “What do we do… Blame the government for its delay in taking action? Blame the folks for insisting on going out when they’ve already been told to stay at home? How do we recommend social distancing to people whose homes are inches away from each other?”
Salonga said she is trying to be positive during this time, to keep herself from getting “sad and angry.” She is also “trying to post things that are factual, and avoiding unnecessary noise” as the pandemic keeps her “up at night.”
Lastly, she commended those who have been helping out through funding, food and other efforts, including those who are creating funny material, music, workouts and prayers to lift people’s spirits.
“Now, whatever we gotta do to beat this thing, let’s beat this thing,” she encouraged. “Let’s keep our wits about us [and] our heads screwed on straight.”
Salonga added that she is “looking forward to the day that this virus becomes insignificant and inconsequential.” JB
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