The outbreak of Covid-19, which has wreaked havoc around the world, is now hammering
the Philippines like no crisis we have ever seen. The fear is that the pandemic will get worse before it gets better. As of this writing, more than 500
Filipinos have been infected, with 33 deaths, according to the Department of Health.
The government had to impose enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon in the hope of slowing the spread of Covid-19 and “flattening the curve,” which is the primary goal of epidemic control measures such as lockdowns. Flattening the curve is expected to prevent the collapse of the country’s health-care system due to the sudden surge in cases. The Philippines simply cannot handle an explosion in cases considering the state of our health-care system (See, “DOH admits lack of beds in Metro Manila hospitals,” in the BusinessMirror, August 15, 2017).
The quarantine was initially confined to the National Capital Region (NCR), and the national government did not order curfews. A day after the quarantine went into effect and after Covid-19 cases spiked, the national government decided to expand the lockdown to include the whole of Luzon. This caused confusion as officials scrambled to craft guidelines that will guide local government units in implementing the ECQ.
Prior to the clarification made by the national government, local governments were given the go signal to roll out the necessary measures to help their constituents cope with the lockdown. Local chief executives in Luzon heeded this call and set in motion various strategies to ease the difficulties posed by the lockdown. These initiatives include the distribution of food packs, disinfection, and provision of transportation to health workers who do not have their own vehicles.
The national mood may be grim for now, but the local executives are helping ease the difficulties faced by their respective constituents. For instance, the local chief executive of Mandaluyong City distributed vegetables to her constituents, something that even experts would approve of as they have recommended the consumption of vegetables to boost the immune system. Other mayors in the metropolis have turned to technology to fight the virus, like what the local chief executive of Pasig did when he decided to use drones.
However, many cities and municipalities continue to grapple with travel restrictions given the directive of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases to limit the movement of people to prevent the spread of the virus. Some minimum wage earners, such as taxi drivers, were forced to violate the restrictions as they need to put food on the table. Local officials also faced difficulties in implementing social distancing in groceries and wet markets.
The Covid-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges to infected countries, including the Philippines. This crisis has presented many lessons that should be heeded by policymakers. For now, the national government and local government units must focus on immediately assisting Luzon residents so they would comply with ECQ guidelines. Hungry constituents sometimes respect no rules.