Emergency Preparedness Philippines

Emergency Preparedness Philippines

 


"I may have been early, but I'm not wrong." - Michael Burry - The Big Short

The store shelves in Wuhan, China emptied rapidly when Coronavirus struck the region. It is good to be prepared.

I wanted to post this quick list of essentials to have on hand for emergencies.

These things are good for just about any potential large-scale emergency that may strike: earthquake, volcano, typhoons, alien invasion...anything.  


Medical & Health 
  • betadine
  • hydrogen peroxide
  • isopropyl or ethyl alcohol (for hand cleaning)
  • aspirin (do not give aspirin to kids)
  • neosporin/bacitracin
  • paracetamol (pain and fever - avoid alcohol)
  • Imodium (antidiarrheal)
  • diphenhydramine (sleep and allergies)
  • Maalox/Gaviscon (acid reflux - 1 tsp baking soda can also be used)
  • band-aids
  • gauze
  • surgical gloves
  • goods for personal hygiene (soap/feminine/baking soda for tooth brushing)

Baking soda and baking powder are not the same thing. Baking powder has acidic substances added (cream of tartar), so it will not reduce acid reflux.

Diphenhydramine is for temporary relief of allergies and can also be used for insomnia. Do not become reliant upon it, as their are negative long term effects.

Have you ever noticed that antibacterial soaps are always on sale? This is because many of them contain the chemical triclosan that has been linked to liver damage. Antibacterial soaps are also not good for your septic system. Regular soap and water work just fine and you can use alcohol to sanitize your hands when you go out.

If we are given prior warning of an imminent disruptive event, then it is a good idea to make sure that we have obtained all necessary prescription medications ahead of time. Insulin is of particular importance. Many preparedness oriented websites suggest stocking up on antibiotics, but caution is advised. Antibiotics can save a life when taken appropriately, but they have no effect upon viral pathogens and can lead to resistant bacteria when taken inappropriately.

There is conflicting information about whether NSAIDs (aspirin, Ibuprofen) aggravate COVID-19. When we had Dengue last year the doctors only give acetaminophen. NSAIDs are contraindicated in Dengue due to risk of thrombocytopenia (low platelet count).  

We should always consult with a physician before taking any drug. 

This pdf is a good first aid manual, but in true SHTF you will need a hard copy, so try finding one on Lazada.com or check out your local National Bookstore. 

Mask Update 3-13-2020 The Final Answer (or so we thought) 

This is specifically about N95 masks not surgical masks

18. Do I need a mask to protect myself against COVID-19?
No. People with no respiratory signs and symptoms do not need to wear a medical mask. DOH recommends the use of medical masks only for the following:
  • For people who are presenting with symptoms of COVID-19;
  • Those caring for individuals who have symptoms such as cough and fever, and
  • Health workers.
DOH, together with WHO, advises the rational use of medical masks to avoid unnecessary wastage of vital resources and mis-use of masks.
The most effective ways to protect yourself and others against COVID-19 are to frequently clean or wash your hands, cover your cough with a tissue or the bend of the elbow, and maintain a distance of at least one meter from people who are coughing or sneezing. (For more information, see Section on protective and preventive measures).

Mask Update 3-17-2020 

After the WHO and DoH and everyone else told us NOT to wear masks the wearing of masks in public has now become the law of the land. You will likely not find masks in the stores so you can make them or they are also allowing scarves etc over the face. 

You can also be arrested for hoarding masks. 

Food

  • rice
  • beans
  • oats
  • pasta
  • salt
  • coconut oil
  • tons of coffee
  • peanuts & peanut butter
  • honey/sugar
  • canned goods (pineapple juice, tuna)
  • liquid bleach (follow instructions for water purification in emergencies)
  • water
  • UHT milk
  • multi-vitamin especially zinc supplements

All of the foodstuffs listed can be stored a long time and stocks are easily rotated to avoid waste. The pasta, beans and rice should be stored in air tight containers. We know from personal experience that weevils and other pests would love nothing more than to ruin your stores.

It is also good to maintain fruit trees and or a small garden if possible. Living in a rural environment can have a lot of advantages when it comes to finding food - of course there may also be drawbacks. 

You will be needing plenty of sleep to keep your strength up, your mind clear and your immune system in shape. For that magnesium does the trick. Magnesium supplements usually come coupled with vitamin c and zinc, but nuts are also packed with magnesium. Peanuts are very easy to find in the Philippines and believe it or not if you eat 100-200 grams a few hours before bedtime they will probably knock you out.  

For water we have our own well, which I highly recommend. It is equipped with a 1 hp motor to fill our 600 liter tank. It also has a hand pump. I can fill a 50 gallon drum in 10 minutes using the hand pump. We keep spare parts and gaskets for the hand pump just in case. 

For water purification you can use bleach following the instructions above and if you do not have bleach you can use calcium hypochlorite:

We make our bleach a little strong using three tablespoons to a liter of warm water. A kilo of this substance can be ordered through Shopee or Lazada for about 200PHP delivered. It has a shelf life of a couple of years or more.

Liquid bleach breaks down to salt water after about 6-12 months, so it is not a long term solution for  water purification.

You may see liquid sodium hypochlorite for sale. Sodium hypochlorite has a much shorter shelflife than the calcium hypochlorite granules and much of it that you find online may have already started to lose its effectiveness.

Authorities suggest having at least a two week supply of food and water. I suggest having as much as you can possibly manage. To maintain a serious long term source of food there is no alternative to growing your own.

As far as raising animals is concerned the best all around food animal IMO is the chicken. In most places here you can let them roam around to eat. They are a good low maintenance food source. You can keep goats too, but from what I have witnessed, goats are a lot of trouble for not much return. Turkey and tilapia are also good options.

Pigs are an option, but not one that I would want in our place and I hope that none of the neighbors do either. Pigs take a lot of work between feeding and keeping their pin clean. You have to stay on top of cleanliness or the stink will get out of control quickly. And with the stink comes flies and health hazards and when one pig gets sick they all get sick. I think the law around here is no pig farm operation within one kilometer of an adjacent residence. 

Cows are good, but you need land and they can be a full time job. They are still a lot better than pigs and no risk of trichinella, though trichinella is not prevalent in the Philippines. Pigs are omnivores and they become infected by eating the carcasses of other pigs that are infected with trichinella. 

Tools & Supplies

  • matches/lighters
  • extra LPG
  • solar phone charger
  • razor blades
  • basic toolkit
  • sewing kit
  • toilet paper
  • A box or two of Tanduay for trading or emergency wound cleaning
  • candles
  • lanterns/oil/wick material
  • flashlights
  • generator w/ extra fuel & fuel stabilizer
  • extra can openers (p38/p51 if you can find them)
  • good solid utility knives
  • firewood 
  • hand-crank and or solar powered radio
  • shovels/ax/bolo 
  • scissors capable of cutting denim
  • fishing gear 
  • boric acid (brazing flux) for roaches/ants

If you have good quality can openers from the US, then you are lucky. Most of the can openers I have found in the Philippines are not very good. 

The p51/p38 can openers are good and cheap:

p-openers by TDKozan

You will see a lot of these rotating wheel/butterfly type can openers in the department and hardware stores:

rotating wheel opener by Evan-Amos

butterfly type opener by Evan-Amos

Do not waste your time with them. They are not like their look-alikes in the US. No matter how cheap or expensive they are they are useless.

This is my personal favorite:

They are 49PHP. When you find this type buy several. The one I am using has opened maybe a thousand cans so far with no end in sight. 

Things To Get Done

  • Be prepared mentally and physically. 
  • Get all shopping done before the crowds set in.
  • Take out extra cash from the bank as needed.
  • Transfer money from overseas as needed. 
  • Fill up vehicles with fuel.
  • Have all important documents organized & ready to throw into a backpack.
  • Be prepared to relocate. 
  • Get extra reading glasses and prescription glasses 
  • When communicable disease is spreading:
    • STAY HOME IF AT ALL POSSIBLE and if not
    • Maintain social distance and hygiene
It might also be a good idea to set up a relative who lives near you with a nicely stocked sari-sari store. Auto-rotating preps. When TSHTF close the shop and you're golden.

Consider everything and make wise decisions. It is never unwise to be prepared.

IRS Free File Fillable Forms & FBAR 2020

IRS Free File Fillable Forms & FBAR 2020





The FBAR e-filing system is available right now, but I will wait and submit my FBAR when I complete my 2019 tax return. 

I will update this post when the IRS makes FreeFile Fillable Forms available. 

Fillable Forms were scheduled to roll out on January 21, but have now been pushed back to January 27. 



Update 2-2-20


I used The IRS Free Fillable Forms last night. If you do not trust that link, then you can go to the IRS website first and click on it from there. Before you use Free Fillable Forms it is a good idea to check out the list of available forms and known limitations on the IRS website.

Free Fillable Forms is an option for you if your income is greater than the 2020 maximum income limit of $69,000.

It took less than one hour for me to create an account and do my taxes with Free Fillable Forms. Make sure you turn off any script blocking add-ons and allow pop-ups so that the website will work correctly. 

Only use Free Fillable Forms if you are confident about doing your own taxes and you know all of the forms that you will need to attach to your return. Unlike Free File providers, Free Fillable Forms will not make any form suggestions based on your input. Free Fillable forms does not do calculations for you and you will have to transfer totals to other subforms and the 1040.

When you digitally sign your return you will need your AGI from last year and the pin you used as well. If you were a joint filer you may need the other person's pin too.

After digitally signing and submitting my return to the IRS I received a confirmation immediately. About 30 minutes later I received an email stating that my return had been accepted.

See the in-depth article on FBAR filing



Painting Your House In The Philippines

Painting Your House In The Philippines

 


The image above is our house. That shot is the best view you can get of our house because most of it is blocked by trees. The paint is about a year old and it is brilliant white. When the sun is shining on it you cannot look at it because it is blinding. 

I did the exterior paint job myself and it is about a year old. I had help to put up bamboo scaffolding on the tall spots, but other than that it was a solo job. I think I did a much better job of painting than the team that we paid to do it years ago.

For that previous paint job I did some quick Internet research and decided to go with Boysen Acrytex, which is a solvent based high performance paint system. One of the reasons I picked Acrytex is that it eliminates the step of neutralization on unpainted concrete. Acrytex is strictly an exterior paint! Keep that in mind, as you do not want to use this very strong smelling paint inside your house.

Our Acrytex paint job did not work out. Much of the paint was cracking and peeling within the first year and I think I know why. We were traveling a lot while the painting was being done and we could not personally supervise the painters. I suspect that the painters were accustomed to using water based latex paint. With latex you can wash the rollers at the end of the day and it's ok if they are still a little wet the next morning. With solvent based paint you will run into trouble doing that. I suspect that a thin layer of moisture may have became trapped behind the paint and when the paint dried and the sun beat down on it the remaining water gassed up and popped the paint.

Another possibility is that the Acrytex simply failed to neutralize the acid in the concrete. It was well past 28 days of curing when the walls were painted, so this should not be the case. The express purpose of Acrytex is to eliminate the need to neutralize masonry surfaces when they are painted prior to complete curing.

Anyway, the paint failed and looked like crap for years before I felt that I had gotten enough value out of it to repaint.

The new paint job is outstanding. It looks like a solid slab of stone. There is not a single crack, peel or bubble after a year. And it scrubs down real nice and still looks like it was painted yesterday.

I went with Davies Megacryl 1350 for the primer, which was selling for 1920 PHP per 16 liter pail at the time: 



The nice thing about this water based latex is that there is almost no noxious smell. The Acrytex was murderous when it came to the smell and it lingered for days and even weeks. It was a joy to work with the Davies latex because there was almost no smell at all.

Davies no longer publishes their MSDS online, but I still have this one that I downloaded a year ago.

According to the MSDS, the two prime components of the primer are limestone and titanium dioxide:


For the topcoat I went with Davies Megacryl 525 Gloss White, which was selling for 2381 PHP per 16 liter pail at the time:


I do not have an MSDS for the topcoat, but it is very similar to the primer and equally pleasant to work with having little to no smell.

Another thing that my wife likes about the Davies paints are nice white buckets. Acrytex comes in metal pails that are not much use. Permatex comes in green plastic pails that become brittle after being in the elements. The heavy duty white Davies buckets endure the sunlight and elements a little better making them useful for a lot of garden uses. I bet that they might last quite a few years.

The most unpleasant part of repainting our house was the paint removal.


I used four one-gallon cans of Gi Paint & Varnish Remover manufactured by Treasure Island. Although Treasure Island does post a technical data sheet(TDS) for this product online, I could not find an MSDS from them. You will notice on the TDS that the specific chemical used is methylene chloride. Boysen uses the same chemical in their paint remover and the Boysen MSDS is published online.

Methylene chloride is an extremely dangerous chemical. It kills people. I would warn anyone away from ever using this chemical indoors in any circumstance or even outdoors in some cases. I only used it outdoors and on some days I felt that it was getting to me.

If you are going to use this product you must be very careful to use the appropriate protective gloves. I went through a dozen pairs of various types of heavy duty chemical resistant gloves. Methylene chloride eats through them.

Take note of this advice on safety gloves for use with methylene chloride (referred to as dichloromethane below) from UC Davis:
Viton, neoprene, or butyl rubber gloves should be used when handling large quantities of dichloromethane or if the hands will be immersed in dichloromethane. Disposable nitrile gloves may be used when handling small quantities or for protection against incidental splash. The nitrile gloves should be at least 6 mil thick and removed and replaced immediately if splashed with dichloromethane... Heavily contaminated gloves must be disposed as chemical hazardous waste.

Methylene chloride is dangerous, but I could not find a paint remover that contained any different chemical at any vendor near our location on Panay. 

Seeing how the job was basically the entire exterior it was out of the question to rely on sanding alone. consequently, methylene chloride did its job extremely efficiently. It worked like a charm to be quite frank. 

WARNING When you finish the paint stripping make sure that you scrub the walls very good. When the stripper/paint crud dries it is hard like cement. You have to get it all off because if you do not and you paint over it your paint will fail in those spots.

Before I close this post I want to make a quick comment on painting the metal railings around our house, which I painted just after I finished up the house exterior. 

I told you how much I loved Davies vs Boysen for the house exterior, but now the tables turn. For metal painting Boysen wins hands down in my book. 

I do not like using two-component epoxy because it is very noxious and you must use reducer to thin it, which is caustic and also quite noxious.  However, I did use Boysen two-component epoxy primer for our steel matting fencing because it performs better in the elements. Due to the nature and situation of the steel matting I felt that the two-component epoxy primer was warranted. 

For the railings I went with basic Paralux red oxide.  

For my steel water tower I am repainting with Uni-coat metal primer, which is basically the same as red oxide only in this case it is gray:




For the topcoat I only use Boysen Quick Dry Enamel:



Boysen QDE lives up to its name drying to a nice hard shell. It has held up very well on our fences, doors and railings both in and out of the elements.

The first time I painted the steel matting fence I used Boysen two-component epoxy enamel. It did not stand up well and was difficult to work with due to strong smell, caustic reducer, etc.... I repainted with simple Boysen QDE and now I use nothing else for exterior metal applications. 

I tried out Davies Gloss It Quick Dry Enamel for some of our metal applications:




Davies QDE did not work out so well for me. For one issue, it was still tacky after two weeks. When it finally dried it was more like a latex than an enamel finish. It was also weak compared to Boysen, in my opinion.

I actually did experiment with Davies Latex exterior paint on a section of metal railings. I was hoping it would work well, since the Davies Latex was so easy to work with and worked out so nicely on the concrete walls. I had not paid any attention to the section of steel tubing that I painted with latex last year. I just checked it out again after almost a year and it does not look bad and has held up well. I used cheap red oxide as a primer but if I use a better quality primer (like the Unicoat industrial grade that I am using now) and if I apply the latex with a roller, then I think that I can get a very nice looking and durable result. I know that this is not painting orthodoxy, but any time that I can use latex instead of solvent based paint is a bonus in my book. 

Also, I have started painting our water tower and I used the Unicoat as the primer. I really like it a lot. It stinks far and wide for a couple of days, but the coverage and look is very nice. The can states that, unlike other primers (red oxide) that must be top coated within one week,  Unicoat industrial can be left for up to one year without topcoat. 

If you do ever topcoat metal with latex paint do be sure to use a proper metal primer and be sure to coat the surface very well. Latex is water based and you need that metal primer to form a good barrier between the bare metal and the water based topcoat. 

You should also experiment on a small area first before you commit to using latex for an entire project.