MANILA – The Philippines is still far from flattening the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) curve with just two weeks remaining in the extended Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), according to Malacañang.
“Nakikita po natin na tumaas, bumaba at pataas pa rin ang po ang COVID (cases). Nakakalungkot po na bagamat tayo po’y nag-extend ng ECQ ay hindi pa rin natin nafa-flatten ang curve,” said Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque in a virtual media briefing on Thursday, urging the public to follow home quarantine rules and physical distancing.
Based on the latest numbers from the Department of Health, there are already 5,453 confirmed cases in the country. Of this number, 349 have died while 353 others recovered.
President Rodrigo Duterte has imposed strict quarantine measures in Luzon to contain the spread of the virus, which was supposed to end on April 13 but was extended until the end of the month.
Roque said that, while the ECQ declaration is already hurting the Filipinos, but the numbers of confirmed cases in the country is still increasing.
“In an ideal world dapat ipagpatuloy ang ECQ pero ang realidad nga ay kinakailangan din magkaroon ng kabuhayan ang ating mga kababayan,” Roque said.
“Humanahap tayo ng balanse between ‘yung obligasyon ng estado na protektahan ang kalusugan ng mga mamamayan [at] doon naman sa karapatan ng mga mamamayan na magkaroon ng hanapbuhay,” he added.
President Duterte has already directed the economic team and some government officials to prepare a recovery plan ahead of the expiration of the quarantine.
Cabinet Secretary and Inter-Agency Task Force spokesperson Karlo Nograles, meanwhile, said that the Philippines having the highest number of COVID-19 cases in Southeast Asia is not a cause for alarm.
“Hindi naman ito contest among ASEAN na pababaan. In fact, this was not even discussed during the recent ASEAN and ASEAN plus 3 meetings,” Nograles said at a virtual press briefing.
“Let us not be disheartened. Kaya nga ang sinasabi natin, we will expand our testing at we expect na tataas ng number ang positive cases kapag marami ng na-test. Ang kapalit naman nito ay malalaman natin agad ang infected, mati-treat agad at mapapa-recover natin agad,” he added.
Nograles also said that the government has already released P65 billion to the local government units for the distribution of cash aid for low-income households and other vulnerable groups suffering the most from the crisis.
The amount had been downloaded to 1,228 LGUs, citing a report from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). The financial assistance has already reached four million poor families.
The DSWD has also spent P67.5 million for other COVID-19 related concerns such as requests for medical and burial assistance and distributed a total of 400,201 family food packs amounting to P156.11 million.
Around 18 million low-income households and those in the informal sector will be targeted to receive monthly cash subsidies amounting to P5,000 to P8,000 for two months as mandated by the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act (Republic Act 11469)./PN
