Because of masks, I’ve relearned the essence of the proverbial phrase that the eyes speak as much as the mouth.
There’s beauty, of course, when the ends of the mouth curve up slightly, lips moving apart to bare teeth the stress-relieving facial smile.
But the open petals of the mouth no longer serve solely as the instrument of happy or friendly expressions. The eyes have it, too, perhaps even keener or more soulful than a mouth smile will ever be.
Mask-wearing therefore forced many of us to pay attention to smiling eyes during the pandemic a devastating public health emergency now officially declared over.
Mr. Marcos Jr. officially lifted last week the nationwide state of public health emergency caused by Covid-19, ending over three years of various degrees of pandemic restrictions, including mask-wearing in crowded public transport.
But even as the government junks the required masking, many Filipinos, I believe, are unlikely to stop wearing masks completely any time soon.
In fact, even before Mr. Marcos Jr. issued his final order against mask wearing he had already earlier eased mask rules, lifting the mandatory wearing of masks in public places like wet markets and malls.
Yet, despite the eased rules which prompted many not to wear masks in public a general observation told us that many did still diligently wear masks.
Just like others, I now find that putting on a mask is habitual, a reflex when sallying forth out of the house. It’s a habit hard to change, I find, just like frequently washing my hands.
So, if only out of habit, cemented during the three years of the pandemic, I and many others will continue to wear masks no matter what the government says. The mask culture is now a Filipino cultural trait.
Generally, it’s probably because Covid hasn’t entirely gone away. It is still causing infections, disease, and death. Wearing masks is still a proven defense and still provides some peace of mind.
Still, there are probably other reasons. One is that even if Covid doesn’t now count as a health emergency Filipinos have found mask-wearing to be beneficial against other common illnesses like the flu and allergies. Avoiding other common respiratory illnesses persuades people to keep their masks on.
Another significant fact that makes mask-wearing not a misguided affectation is that many Filipinos are realizing that wearing one is all about being unselfish.
Filipinos are starting to respect the well-being of others, a mask etiquette that makes Filipinos culturally more Asian than Western.
Wearing a mask has always been associated with good etiquette for many people in Asia.
It is common courtesy in Asia to wear a mask in public, especially since one never knows who around them might have weakened immune systems or live with someone vulnerable.
In contrast, most Western countries see mask-wearing as a highly charged social and political issue.
Public courtesies aside, I also believe Filipinos will go on wearing masks because of the inescapable fact that masks protect against air pollution.
Most urbanized Filipinos instinctively know and sharply feel the health effects of air pollution like coughing, sneezing, and tightness of the chest. Not for nothing that motorcycle riders cover their mouths and noses while traversing traffic-choked streets.
Moreover, our air pollution woes now include the alarming health risk of inhaling microplastics — tiny plastic particles floating in the environment. A recent study showed Metro Manila residents face a large health risk when breathing in microplastics.
Scientists say insidious microplastics are the newest “major pollutant of our generation.” A pollutant that initial studies show causes stress and havoc to the internal organs once it enters the bloodstream.
Thus, even as Covid becomes less of a public health crisis, microplastics loom as the next public health emergency. Nothing is being done yet against microplastics and that only means our mask-wearing days aren’t over.