Roque says Thai news site’s use of his GIF shows effective PH messaging in COVID fight
MANILA, Philippines — Palace spokesperson Harry Roque on Sunday said the use of his GIF (graphics interchange format) by a Thai news website in a reminder to follow health protocols against the coronavirus shows the effectiveness of the Philippine government’s messaging in its fight against the pandemic.
“The fact that the Philippine government’s advocacy campaign has caught international attention underscores how effective our message is – which we articulate in every press briefing and which we prominently display on the podium — in conveying that we must adhere to such health standards aimed at saving lives and protecting the communities,” Roque said in a statement.
“Let everyone be reminded therefore that in this holiday season, we should continue to wear face masks/face shields, wash our hands, and maintain a physical distance to have safe and healthy 2021,” he added.
In a tweet on Saturday evening, Thai Enquirer reminded its followers to follow minimum health protocols such as the frequent washing of hands, wearing a face mask, and observing physical distancing.
Attached to the tweet was a GIF of Roque during one of his press briefings in Malacañang.
We're all in this together so we would just like to remind everyone reading to
1. Wash your hands constantly
2. Always wear a mask
3. Socially DistanceListen to government announcements and do not take unnecessary risks. #โควิด19 #โควิดสมุทรสาคร pic.twitter.com/WfzMfbEgDw
— Thai Enquirer (@ThaiEnquirer) December 19, 2020
The following day, Thai Enquirer replied to the same thread, saying, “we have no idea who this person is” and that it used the GIF “because he’s round and Asian.”
Article continues after this advertisementOn its website, Thai Enquirer said it intends to “provide a mixture of in-depth reporting, political and cultural commentary, as well as highlights of fiction, prose, poetry, and humor.”
The Philippines has the second-most number of COVID-19 cases in the entire Southeast Asian region, preceded only by Indonesia.
As of Sunday, there are 459,789 confirmed coronavirus infections in the country, including 429,134 recoveries and 8,947 deaths.
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