SARS is starting to go big time in the home land. I’m a bit surprised that it took this long to start spreading among Filipinos, considering the volume of human traffic between the Philippines and China (and the rest of the world), but it looks like the reports are catching up.

It’s really scary. I just talked to Mom on the phone over Easter, and she told me that relatives don’t kiss or shake hands with their titos and titas and pamangkins anymore, as a measure against the contagion. When fear of a disease starts to displace the strength of Filipino familial traditions, it must be bad.

Vanderwoning is blogging about it from HK, and Manuel Viloria has links.

Update: Well, looks like SARS is here in Baltimore. And in Sutton Place, too, which is literally right at my school’s doorstep.