MANILA – Vice President Leni Robredo said the “community quarantine” declaration to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Metro Manila will be effective only if there are enough basic supplies for the people.
In an address to the public on Thursday night, Robredo said her fellow government officials must ensure there are enough basic supplies, such as food and sanitary items, to help allay fears among citizens.
“Isa itong paraan para hindi na dumagdag ang pangamba ng ating mga kababayan. Kung alam nating magiging sapat ang supplies sa ating mga komunidad, papanatag ang ating loob, at hindi na natin kakailanganing lumabas pa,” Robredo said.
The Vice President also stressed the need to extend financial assistance to poor communities and to “protect the vulnerable.”
“Gaya ng lagi, ang mga mahihirap ang pinakaapektado sa mga ganitong pagkakataon. Siguraduhin natin na angkop ang pansin at pagpapahalaga ang maipapaabot sa kanila,” she said.
President Duterte on Thursday imposed a “community quarantine” and travel ban for land, sea and air in and out of Metro Manila from March 15 to April 4, subject to review daily.
The travel restrictions, recommended by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, were made in an effort to contain the spread of the COVID-19 in the country.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III, meanwhile, said isolating Metro Manila would “only result in panic and hoarding of goods.”
“NCR is the political and economic capital of the Philippines. The economy will grind to a halt as the flow of goods and people from the provinces to NCR, and vice versa, will be affected,” Sotto said in a statement.
“Preventing travel to and from Metro Manila with only 52 cases as this point is a textbook case of overreaction,” he added.
“The poor and the vulnerable sectors will be heavily-disadvantaged under this scenario, as they don’t have the resources to cope with any shortage of food and other necessities,” he further said./PN
