Right people, right answers
(A Story Before A Disaster)
“… replacing old cogs with new and well-oiled gears is a must now to ensure the whole production rate and effectiveness of the machinery itself.”
Change will not come unless we fight for it.
The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) lifted once again the general community quarantine (GCQ) in cities within the National Capital Region (NCR) and the other four provinces — Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, and Bulacan — on March 21. President Rodrigo Duterte approved the said measure that will run from March 22 to April 4. The two-week quarantine will impose stricter health protocols. It is expected to curb the spiking cases of COVID-19 by at least 25 percent, as stated by presidential spokesman Harry Roque in an interview with ABS-CBN News.
The GCQ itself can be seen as a one-for-two solution to effectively control the spread of COVID-19 and open the economy. Some may look upon it as the most efficient strategy to win our battle against the pandemic and ongoing economic recession. Yet, the so-called “bubble” measure would just become one of those government-sanctioned experiments that would not produce any good results, if the proper scientific intervention will not be applied.
Nonetheless, Filipinos deserve quality, fair, and democratic public service from their government. As written in the constitution, the state should and foremost safeguard the rights of its people but they do the opposite. Out of barrages of backlashes and criticisms, the Duterte administration still relies on its old ways built on not-so-scientific methods, and being stubborn. The president himself and his allies either ignore or vilify dissents and suggestions from experts and the public.
Until now, the current administration still has no concrete plans in turning the tides in favor of the Filipinos. To sum it up, their poor pandemic response does not only yield favorable outcomes but also, worsens the situation.
It is infuriating to the point that despite having the longest lockdown in the world, the Philippines is yet to flatten the curve. The enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) last year, aside from overwhelming our weak and unprepared public healthcare system, dealt a major blow to the country’s economy.
Duterte even made himself look like a fool and even displayed a "manipulative sadboi" image with his insensitive "small thing" remark. Come to think of it, how can you even call something that left millions workless, inflation rate at the ground-breaking feat, poverty and hunger statistics at a new height, and gross domestic product (GDP) at a record low after World War II a small thing?
Besides, contrary to Roque’s excellent notion of the government’s actions against the virus, it is also unacceptable to proclaim yourself excellent amid the resurgence of cases, different sectors stifled, and the “new normal” way of life is not for all.
In reality, Duterte alongside his followers underestimated the virus itself last year. Their unlikely support to the Chinese government resulted in a late travel ban. Thus, the reckoning of a now grueling viral disaster. Amid his toxic positivity, he cannot deny the fact that there no small thing that terrible like COVID-19.
Yet, Duterte and his government always blame the people for going outside, disregarding the pandemic fatigue endured by Filipinos due to lockdowns. They keep on twisting the narratives to hide their incompetence.
Due to their attitude of taking things lightly and without a sense of urgency, public trust decreases day-by-day. In a survey conducted by the ASEAN Studies Centre from November 8, 2020, to January 10, 2021, the Philippines government’s pandemic response scored the lowest in the Southeast Asian region in terms of earning trust from its people. A whopping 17.9 percent of Filipinos answered that they “strongly disapprove” of how their government handled the health crisis.
Now, things must change. One year is enough. Decisive actions must be done. The sufferings and struggles of the people should be the top priority. Whether it is ECQ or GCQ, community quarantines are not band-aid solutions for long-term struggles brought by the pandemic. Scientific interventions will pave the way in containing the virus. Thus, science-backed protocols such as mass testing, coordinated and comprehensive contact tracing, and the creation of communication networks shall be pushed to respond quickly to the calls of the public.
Hence, all of these will only be possible if the right people are in the right position.
IATF should be abolished or if not, revamped. There is no more reason for retired generals to stay in those seats as worse and worst scenarios keep on looming under their belts. Also, it is just a waste of time for Filipinos to wait for them to figure out the best possible solutions because, in the very first place, they do not have the experience and expertise to handle health crises.
On the contrary, there are no more suitable individuals and communities to take this battle, but the medical professionals themselves. They have the utmost capability to foresee future trends and developments about COVID. Given these circumstances, they should be given the spotlight and authority to take control of a health emergency that already killed more than 12,000 Filipinos.
In a survey, 72.2 percent of Filipinos want scientists and healthcare practitioners to take over in the country’s COVID response, according to the ASEAN Studies Centre. This indicates who the people wanted to take charge as they believe that healthcare workers will provide concrete and comprehensive ideas to help curb the disease.
As the Philippines race through time to vaccinate 70 percent of its population, replacing old cogs with new and well-oiled gears is a must now to ensure the whole production rate and effectiveness of the machinery itself. The Duterte administration must drastically change the way it handles the pandemic.
Militaristic strategies, unscientific solutions, and incompetence should be disregarded as COVID-19 is a health-related struggle. Thus, doctors and medical practitioners must lead the IATF, instead of retired generals, as the former has the scientific knowledge in dealing with the health crisis itself. #
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