Why We Are Forced to Settle Less

Contrary to the notion that the Philippines has done its best in eradicating the disease (that killed millions globally), Filipinos still receive mediocre help from its governing bodies, a reason why we are forced to settle less.

Sanitation workers in Manila donning protective suits as part of safety protocol against COVID-19. Photo by Basilio Sepe

On October 6, 2020, World Health Organization (WHO) country representative Rabindra Abeyasinghe, in a press briefing, recognized the Philippine government's efforts in suppressing the spread of the new coronavirus in the country. He said that the government has “done a lot” to mitigate the spread of the virus since Match 2020. Contrary to this statement, the Department of Health (DOH) recorded a total of 326,833 confirmed cases of COVID-19, a number that accounts for half of the WHO Western Pacific region, which includes China, the epicenter of SARS-CoV-2.

The Philippines reported its first local case of COVID-19 on March 6, 2020, ten days before the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon. Before the said date, government officials were not keen on banning travel to and from China, because of two reasons: 1) respect the freedom flights that people enjoy, and 2) concerns about being questioned why the Philippines is not imposing the same restrictions on other countries.

Being reluctant from calls for a travel ban, the Philippines experienced an exponential increase in COVID-19 cases. Since the virus’s contraction cannot be seen by the naked eye, the Covid-19 Inter-Agency Task Force was launched by DOH. The agency included non-pharmaceutical health (NPH) measures in controlling the spread of the virus in the country, such as social distancing, wearing PPE, and implementing quarantines. Quarantine and testing facilities were built, as compliance to mitigating the spread of the diseases.

Series of lockdowns and quarantines were announced by the President, as a solution to the increasing number of cases in the country. Having not enough research and preparation on lockdown measures and their effects on citizens, quarantines were still implemented. People who refuse to follow these mandatory measures are arrested and given sanctions ranging from 1-6 months imprisonment, together with penalties ranging from P20,000-P50,000. Quarantines may have stopped people from stepping out of their homes, hoping that the virus won’t spread.

Opposite to its goal, lockdowns did not just stop growing cases of COVID-19 but also increased cases of hunger, unemployment, mental health issues, and corruption. On June 5, the Philippine StatisticsAuthority (PSA) reported that 7.3 million Filipinos were jobless in April, one month after the lockdown. On another note, a social weather station (SWS) released a survey on September 27, stating that over 7 million Filipino families have experienced hunger at least once in the past three months due to lack of food in households. As a solution, the Department of Social Welfare and Development implemented its Social Amelioration Program (SAP), providing cash subsidy to low-income families suffering due to COVID-19. The P6000-8000 financial support for families was deemed to be insufficient, for it was a one-time cash aid. How can a family of 6 or 10, with jobless parents and children attending online classes, can live with P8000 a month on hand? Why do families need to suffer lockdowns, and expect low subsidy from the government?

According to the Department of Education, more than 6 million elementary and high school students were unable to enlist for the academic year 2020-2021 as it shifts from physical to distance learning. Due to poverty, an incoming Grade 9 Student in Albay province committed suicide due to expenses for his “online classes.” reports said that the family is experiencing problems with house expenses even before online classes start. Despite around 3.6 million Filipinos suffering from mental disorders, yet here we are, still allowing education to push through, even sacrificing the future of some students, giving them more problems other than surviving the pandemic. As compensation, Filipinos are given the P389 million Dolomite Sand Beach, hoping to decrease anxiety and depression by looking and visiting the white sand beach in Manila Bay.

On COVID-19 testing and safety, DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III promised Filipinos for free COVID-19 testing. On July 21, he withdrew his statement, stating that the government cannot test all of the country’s citizens one-by-one. The call for mass testing, which the term was miscommunicated by the health secretary himself, was meant to increase RT-PCR testing capacity to certain communities. Until now, no reports were shown regarding mass testing. Instead, reports, such as the recent PhilHealth fraud, disrespects the Filipinos’ right to health and living. Are we forever doomed to be promised by white lies?

Protesters against these malpractices are, instead of being heard, are given the Anti-Terror Law as medicine to the pandemic situation. This is, for the governing bodies, the “cure” for the virus. In opposition to Duque’s statement, COVID-19 testing ranges from P4,000 to P13,000, a rate that is given to Filipinos but given free for government officials (who are majority asymptomatic and can freely wander despite the scare of the contraction of the virus). Even this price range cuts the P8000 SAP subsidy into half.

This is how current plans and actions in suppressing the spread of the virus force us to settle for less. Instead of giving importance, we are given blames and insufficient support, far from what we truly deserve. Research and healthcare sectors were not given priority. The University of the Philippines predicted that the country will hit 40,000 COVID-19 cases at the end of June. This was debunked by the Malacanang, congratulating the Philippines for beating the UP prediction, one day before July. There were 36,438 COVID-19 cases on June 29, a small 3,562 difference from 40,000.

Conflicting on the claimed victorious feat, the real question now with the continuous rising of cases is “Are we still winning the race against COVID-19?” Is the country doing its best to win against COVID-19 or its people? Due to a lack of funding, health workers are expected to be paid P500 per day (excluding transportation and lodging) for their duty. Do you think that it’s justifiable to pay our healthcare workers the bare minimum, despite all hard work and discrimination of virus contraction at home and their workplace? Healthcare workers are coined “heroes'' and told that it is a “pleasure to die for the country.” That phrase, alone, is enough for governing bodies, even though doctors and nurses die due to exhaustion.

In face of all difficulties and challenges, we are fed by the reasoning that “everything is fine” and “we just need to wait for these things to end.” We are forced to settle less because we were thought to settle for the unjustifiable actions and services that the government provides its people. If Abeyasinghe’s statement was correct, how come COVID-19 cases are continuously rising? As of today, the Philippines is the 3rd with the highest number of COVID-19 among ASEAN states and 43rd around the globe. As we were waiting for the betterment of society, efforts are still not enough to eradicate COVID-19.

For the country to stay stagnant as it waits for neighboring countries to bless us with the vaccine is an unreasonable rationale for the Philippines to be under a state of calamity until September 2021, tranquilizing the virus’s effect. Are we going to wait for the “miracle pill,” the same as how the President wants us to wait for a potential vaccine until 2022?

We don’t settle for less. We are forced to settle for less. Until when will our country settle with these unsatisfactory actions? Until when will we call out on those people who need to be called out? Until when we will be forced to settle less by our motherland? We must continue to fight for our rights, and we must not settle with what is given to us. We must know all people are deserving of equal rights and justice to be given by the current administration to its citizens.