Alano, Estillore, Pascua, Tumang 2ALM

January 29, 2020 CWORLD Final Exam

The Response of the Philippine Government to Covid-19

As early as the first few weeks of January 2020, there has been news of the Corona virus
originating from Wuhan, China. Fearing that the virus might target the Philippines next, locals
demanded that the government proclaim a travel ban to prevent the virus from reaching the
country. To suppress the panic of the people, current health secretary Francisco Tiongson Duque
called on everyone to stay calm.

From articles written on 29 January 2020, Duque refused to ban mainland Chinese; the
reason being that the government has to be careful in “possible repercussions” of doing the said
request of the Filipino people and that the virus was not just limited to China. However, the
following day, the Philippines reported its first case of Covid-19. According to Duque, the virus
came from a thirty-eight year old woman who traveled to the Philippines from Wuhan, China on
January 21.

It’s quite dubious that the Philippine government refused to ban mainland Chinese in fear
of “possible repercussions”. At the same time it’s ironic to mention that the virus has not just
spread to China but in other countries as well; that should give the government more reason to
initiate a travel ban. It is the government’s responsibility to prioritize the general welfare of its
people especially when its public safety and public health is at risk. The delay of their response
to the virus when it was only just beginning, without a doubt, jeopardized the health of the
Filipino people. Had the government listened to the call of its perturbed citizens and worried
later on about the said possible repercussions with China, it wouldn’t be in its current state.

Starting from March 6, 2020, there has been a report of local infection of Covid-19 in the
country which later on calls for “Code Red” wherein it has been confirmed that there is already a
local transmission of the virus. Due to this incident, President Duterte declared a state of public
health emergency where classes were suspended for an indefinite time and work from home was
advised. Aside from this, protocols and measures were made to ensure the safety of the citizens
and refusal to follow the measures may result in various sanctions like imprisonment. The
President also placed Metro Manila under lockdown but mass transportation is still allowed as
long as social distancing measures are followed. Despite such measures, cases still rise every day
leading the President to declare that the entire Luzon area be placed in enhanced community
quarantine (ECQ). Cases of Covid-19 from outside the National Capital Region were reported
causing other municipalities, cities and provinces to also declare community quarantine to
prevent the rise of the cases. On March 23, Duterte signed Administrative Order No. 26 granting
maximum hazard pay of P500 to those who will still report to work to control the spread of
Covid-19. On March 25, the President approved the Bayanihan To Heal As One Act of 2020
granting the president the additional powers to handle the crisis. Reports of Covid-19 cases still
rise as time passes by, the country has been placed to different kinds of quarantine that even the
people are already confused whether they are under ECQ, GCQ, MGCQ and others.

Despite the passing of various bills and orders to combat COVID-19, it is not enough and
not sufficient for the country to survive. Due to the lockdown, a lot of business establishments
were forced to close, leading the unemployment rate to reach the peak affecting the citizen’s life
and the nation’s economy as well. The slow response of the government from the very beginning
waived its chance to have it control and save its citizens from loss of life and poverty.
Furthermore, the government’s actions in combating this crisis have only shown more of their
“incompetence” rather than competence and readiness in addressing the problem.

Months and Months of lockdown but we can see clearly that it isn't effective. The number
of cases are still increasing as up to today, According to Confirmed Case are 518, 407, Deaths
10, 481, Recovered are 475, 542 while Active Cases are 32, 384 according to the Department of
Health (2020).

The Black Nazarene feast held for the current year, though without the yearly parade of
the life sized picture of the darker looking Jesus Christ conveying the cross, was a
"superspreader" occasion in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, an exploration bunch said.
The gathering, nonetheless, said they have not made their projection on COVID-19 cases with
respect to the occasion, however could utilize figures introduced by specialists, for example, the
400,000 lovers that rushed the Quiapo Church, as referenced by the Manila Police District.
COVID-19 data in the past two or three weeks has been incomplete due to the reduced capacities
of testing laboratories over the holidays. A rise in COVID-19 cases are anyway expected, and as
the Philippines distinguishes the primary Case of more infectious Virus strain. The new
variations must be identified through genome sequencing, which must be completed by the
Philippine Genome Center. The Philippines said it recognized a traveler who showed up from the
United Arab Emirates the first case of the more contagious Covid-19 strain that recently emerged
in the U.K.

The first vaccine to arrive will be 50,000 doses from China's Sinovac, although vaccines
from US firm Pfizer could be rolled out earlier if the COVAX facility would grant the
Philippines’ appeal for 44 million free doses. COVAX, a global initiative led by the World
Health Organization along with the vaccine alliance GAVI and the Coalition for Epidemic
Preparedness Innovations, aims to ensure equitable access to safe and effective coronavirus
vaccines. The government is set to sign a deal with AstraZeneca Plc on Thursday for up to 20
million additional doses of its vaccines, of which the first shipments could arrive this quarter.
Private companies and local officials are helping the central government secure AstraZeneca
shots, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez said at a televised briefing on Wednesday.

To summarize, this pandemic has shown us the importance of a united government and
its people. Covid 19 is a serious issue that needs to be taken with utmost precautions and
diligence; a government that decides and acts as fast and its people’s rational and disciplined
reaction to such. No matter how we view it, we need each other in these times of distress.
Although we have some hands that point fingers at each other, we must keep in mind that safety
is our number one priority and to do what is best for us comes first. If the heads of the
government fail to comply with its duty, it would spell doom not only to the welfare of its people
but to the stability of its nation.

Not taking Covid seriously at the start was already a mistake, we cannot afford to let it
linger for longer. The cure or vaccine, which is already in the process of mass-production and
distribution, is greatly needed here in the Philippines. The choice is up to our leaders whether
they will acquire them at the risk of being effective or not, or wait for the certainty at the cost of
their people succumbing in fear and illness in the meantime.