Perhaps it’s the fast, as they call it, internet capacity of the Philippines which made information almost available to everybody, or it might be those several television networks for accurately broadcasting news to people, or possibly Duterte’s administration’s competence that our health-care system is not prepared for this disquieting pandemic. Recalling that President Duterte announced a temporary entry ban on Chinese travelers from afflicted areas in China, where this virus originated, just one day after saying he did not want to restrict the admittance of Chinese Nationals in the country left me unsure of whether his [Duterte] sudden change of plan is too quick for an emergency response or too late for protecting the Filipino people.
As of April 15, 2020, 5,223 people have been registered as confirmed coronavirus cases in the nation. This increasing number of positive cases reveals to us that the authority has been mishandling the crisis and unsatisfactorily responding to the dilemma at hand. The goal of all nations is to stop the transmission of this incredibly infectious disease. And as implied, it is the virus that should be killed, not the people. But why are most Filipino residents starving? Why are they arrested when they are merely pleading for some food? Where is the provision of relief goods for families? Where is the 275 billion pesos emergency fund for these people? All these needs were nonexistent until President Duterte made his address announcing the allocation of five to eight thousand pesos to be given to the susceptible sectors of the society and are eligible to acquire the said aid as well as the distribution of relief goods which will be spearheaded by the DSWD. And now, one of the facets of the predicament has been solved, but for how long could it sustain the people? Questions still emanate as people worry that the duration of this pandemic might take longer than expected and the assistance might not cater to the totality of the populace whose demands are of equal significance with that of Luzon’s.
One of the bigger inquisitions that citizens have been screaming is the containment of the virus as to how the government proposes to impede its growth. Netizens were imploring to the government for an international entry ban, restricting people from coming in the country particularly for those Chinese nationals, but our administration refused to do so as health secretary Duque rejected the idea explaining it would spark “political and diplomatic repercussions” but not until one day just after the president’s refusal speech of this entry ban made a declaration for a temporary entry ban on Chinese travelers which happened on the latter portion of January. But was that too abrupt that it helped halt the spread of the disease? Or was that too held up for hurting the mighty dragon? Certainly no. If it aimed to secure the people, then that reaction was too delayed since last February, when the first death case of coronavirus was reported in the country. And if its objective was to maintain its warm relations with China, then it failed in doing so since they just approved the entry ban which would mean “political and diplomatic repercussions” as aforementioned. Thanks to the sudden realization of the government, the Philippines now tops ASEAN countries with the most number of COVID-19 cases in the region. Currently, as a precautionary measure of the administration, the president ordered an extended lockdown of the entire Metro Manila until the end of April, telling the whole nation to stay home and practice social distancing and proper handwashing. These are all evident as preventive methods to almost all news but not ‘really’ with our president’s national address. Of course, his discussions relevant to the coronavirus outbreak would always be distinct above everybody else.
Attacking Human Rights lawyer Chel Diokno on his physical appearance particularly his “big teeth” and compared him to a janitor,
“I will not hesitate to order the police to arrest and detain you pag nag riot-riot kayo, I will not hesitate my soldiers to shoot you”, “Do not try to overdo things or think that you can do what you want to do, because that is not allowed. We move in one direction precisely to place the contagion control. Huwag kang magbiyahe nang sarili mo.”
These are some of the lines and arguments in the public talks of President Digong with regards to his plan to combat COVID-19 which stood out differently as netizens questioned where his specific instructions about the lockdown measures and the concrete plan for mass testing and intensified contact tracing were. All these were absent which resulted in worse situations of panic buying and hoarding, increasing the likelihood of a person being infected. But on the contrary, not everyone has immediate access to food and basic needs. Not all Filipino people have access to clean water or even any kind of water itself in marginalized parts of our society. What about them? How can the administration impose preventive measures to the nation when key necessities that could help protect a person in a crisis like this is lacking? It seems like the administration is forgetting the impact of the crisis on the most vulnerable because the poor are not forgotten, then all those public discussions should be complete, comprehensive, punctual, and detailed. If these characteristics are not present, then the government must be held accountable for the consequences the poor suffer from.
If only the Philippines had a fast and reliable internet connection, signs and warnings from our neighboring countries might reach Duterte’s administration as swift as possible and news from our television networks might display accurate headlines to avoid confusions and fallacies that most people greatly pay attention to. Once the dust settles, which we are all praying and soon will happen, we must not lose consciousness of what happened to our fellow Filipino citizens who died because “the government is more concerned with hurting China’s feelings rather than protecting its people.” And we must not lose sight of what character our leaders unveiled during this pandemic because this would be the last time our government should fail us. We will not forget.
