COVID-19 and Southeast Asia | Heinrich Böll Foundation

Web-Dossier: COVID-19 and Southeast Asia

About

This web-dossier brings together articles and opinion pieces from our project partners, journalists, academics, and activists from Southeast Asia. The articles refer to specific impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the socio-economic situation of affected communities, including informal laborers and migrant workers.

Furthermore, the contributions shed a light on gender-related issues, ecological trends, and civic freedoms under the conditions of COVID-19 in our region.

IN THE TIME OF COVID: Reflections from Ha Noi

Essay

Nguyen Qui Duc, radio broadcaster, writer, designer, editor and translator, based in Hanoi reflects about the impact of the pandemic on Vietnamese society.

By Nguyen Qui Duc

Feminist Interventions and Emerging Issues in Southeast Asia in the Time of COVID-19

This is a Scoping Paper that has mapped out how COVID-19 impacted the activities and interventions of feminist movements in Southeast Asia (SEA). It aims to serve as a starting point for two audiences: those interested in gaining a broad overview of what is happening within this region and those looking to inform future strategies or discussions within the feminist movement.

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ASEAN's COVID-19 Response: Policies and Perceptions

Article

Southeast Asia is struggling to contain the spread of COVID-19 amid a resurgence driven by the Delta variant, leaving national governments with no capacity to spare on neighbouring countries. At the same time, ASEAN faces a trust problem due to the intangible nature of regional cooperation, and capacity issues associated with the prolonged deadlock over the selection of a special envoy to deal with the political crisis in Myanmar. Nevertheless, the potential for future regional cooperation after the health crisis subsides is within view.

By Moe Thuzar

Limited Connectivity and Other Obstacles: Two Years of School in Rural Philippines

Photo Essay

Almost two years since the Philippines implemented lockdown measures to curb COVID-19 infections, some schools in the country have resumed face-to-face classes. In the capital Manila, however, physical classes in school due to recommence in January was suspended because of surging cases in late 2021. Most are the Omicron variant, which now brings total cases to over three million and more than 50,000 deaths.

By Daniel Abunales

COVID-19 in Singapore: Technology and Systematic Orderly Approaches

Photo-Essay: Ho Chi Minh City Devastated as Huge Wave of Coronavirus Hits

COVID-19 Recovery in Southeast Asia: Jakarta, Oh Jakarta!

COVID-19 Recovery in Southeast Asia: Snapshots from Metro Manila, the Philippines

When All Else Fails, the People Mobilize: The Sea Warriors of Johor, Malaysia, Act to Survive COVID-19 and Climate Change Impacts

Article

The Sea Warriors’ Market, a local initiative which strengthens fishermen incomes, has been severely interrupted by coronavirus, and people have little choice but to be resilient and creative in adjusting to their challenging circumstances.

By Serina Rahman

Lao PDR: Containing COVID-19 Outbreaks but Alert for Virus Spikes

Article

During the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, Lao PDR managed to contain the pandemic quite successfully. More than one year later, the virus remains a challenge: in communicating with people via social media, integrating workers returning from neighboring countries, and vaccinating the population.

By Vannaphone Sitthirath

The Impact of COVID-19 on Women in Timor-Leste

Article

The outbreak of COVID-19 has been devastating for Timor-Leste. It has overwhelmed the already weak health system, deepened poverty and pre-existing inequalities, exposing vulnerabilities in social, political and economic systems for women and girls in Timor-Leste.

By Carmeneza Dos Santos Monteiro

COVID-19 in Brunei Darussalam: How Does the Small Nation Cope?

Article

With a population of under half a million located on a total land area of 5,765 sq. km, Brunei is uniquely positioned to use its small-nation status for its management of the pandemic. Small in size and number, it has been able to leverage on transparency and an openness of information from health authorities to address public concerns. Besides the health sector, other ministries have taken the cue to increase engagement, communications and accountability to the public.

By Hannah Ho

The Dilemma of Waste during COVID-19 Pandemic

Article

While Thailand has prioritized measures to contain the spread of COVID-19, environmental concerns have been sidelined. Despite an overall reduction in waste, the amount of plastic and harmful microplastics have skyrocketed in the kingdom, with a weak pre-existing waste sorting and management system.

By Teirra Kamolvattanavith

Barbara Unmüßig: "No country is safe until all countries are safe from Covid-19"

Keynote speech

Given the global dimension of the Covid-19 pandemic and the fact that the number of mutations is increasing worldwide, we must overcome our selfish national and economic interests. Successful pandemic response requires coordinated global action based on coordinated decision-making, fair and transparent vaccine delivery processes and know-how sharing.

Abandonment: The New-Normal for Migrant Workers?

Article

Migrant workers amidst the pandemic in the Global South have gone through the same experience as those who are displaced. The health crisis has brought the plight of migrant workers to another level, in what it is considered here as ‘abandonment’.

By Pamungkas A. Dewanto

Divided we fail - Vaccine diplomacy and its implications

Background

No country is safe from COVID-19 until all countries are safe from COVID-19. To state the obvious: To overcome a pandemic of this magnitude, vaccines must be made available quickly, cheaply, and fairly.

By Dr. Alexandra Sitenko

After the First Wave: Southeast Asia and Rise of the ‘New COVID Poor’

Analysis

What can Southeast Asia learn from nearly a year of responses to COVID-19? A key question, not yet answered, is how to find the elusive balance between public health concerns and economic curbs, and achieve the right balance between stringent safety measures and open borders.

By Gwen Robinson

COVID-19, Health Borders, and the Purity of the Thai Nation

Article

This article examines the ad-hoc policy and regulation applied by the Thai government in controlling the spread of COVID-19 in the country. The Thai government erected a ‘health border’ to control mobility of the people, as well as set up a governing body, the Center of COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) under the emergency decree.

By Jiraporn Laocharoenwong

The following articles are published together with our partner, Reporting ASEAN.

Reporting ASEAN is a homegrown, independent venue for the discussion of news and issues around regionalism, highlighting voices and views from within Southeast Asia. Its focus includes coverage of the idea of an ASEAN, which goes far beyond the regional association ASEAN, as well as the training of journalists from the region. It follows conversations around the news media and journalism in Southeast Asia, from disinformation and misinformation to interesting ways of storytelling.

Southeast Asia: Going Greener, Post-COVID-19?

Article

Green recovery. Social protection. Smart containment. Decarbonisation. Putting progress in climate action at par with measuring GDP. Creative capacity. These phrases have been running through conversations these days around changing Southeast Asia's template for development in the post-COVID era.

By Johanna Son

Pandemic Gives Wildlife Campaigners a Push in Vietnam

Plant-Based Food Finds Its Way into Post-pandemic Menu

Filipino Seafarers Find Their Future – and Lives – Adrift

Temperature checks as a part of daily life

Malaysia: Will We Ever Shake Hands Again?

Cambodia: What Went ‘Right’ In COVID-19

COVID-19: Vietnam Winning Yet Another War

COVID-19 and the Climate Crisis in Southeast Asia

Article

At their core, the shared crises of the pandemic, the climate emergency and the plastics habit reflect how human beings view their space in the natural world.

By Johanna Son

The following articles are published together with our partner, the NGO Forum on ADB whose membership network encompasses Asia and the Pacific. Therefore, the articles included in this section cover stories and aspects from South Asia and other parts of the world.

The NGO Forum on ADB is a network of civil society organizations (CSOs) that has been monitoring the projects, programs, and policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) with membership that spans Asia and the Pacific regions.

Asia Teetering at the Edge - Part I: Government Debt Amid COVID-19

Analysis

Regardless of where you are placed in the social hierarchy the facts remain the same - as of now there is no cure for COVID-19, our governments were not prepared, the climate crisis is looming and we are all in lockdown. The coronavirus since January 2020 in its wide spread infectious nature has exposed the vulnerabilities of the public health and governance system of every nation be it rich or poor.

By Rayyan Hassan

Asia Teetering at the Edge - Part II: The Banks, BRI and Recovery Loans

Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic on Frontline Communities Resisting Internationally Financed Development Projects

Double Repression: Lockdown Measures in Bangladesh and Its Impact on Informal Sector Workers

"The biggest arena of struggle now -- the archipelago of informal sector communities all over Asia."

Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo

Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo is a member of the Board of Trustees of NGO Forum on ADB as well as Professor Emeritus and Former Dean of the University of the Philippines School of Labor and Industrial Relations.