Another Lockdown, Another Problem. Agony? Until when?

 Another Lockdown, Another Problem.

Agony? Until when?

Warm, patriotic greetings.

Despite popular criticism, and unjust economic measures, the order has resorted to another draconian lockdown inside Greater Manila since four years ago. 

Meant to stop the rapid increase in the number of COVID19 cases, this measure is more than just controlling the tide, but controlling the movement even further by militarised checkpoints to those of prolonged curfew hours- and this will only lead to another grand problem. 

For the fact that Duterte prefers the pandemic being treated as an issue of "order" first and "health" as second, remains deaf to the demands of the folk a year ago such as mass testing, systemic contact tracing, and adequate support for those affected by the lockdowns and of frontliners. The procurement of vaccines being marred by politickings and interest-driven manouvers the way the regime insists in pursuing anomalous deals with China. 

Of course, the regime will claim that the militarist response and not of mobilizing the whole medical and health experts, responders, and civil society keeps everything under control amidst popular criticism. And to think true that it has allowed increased social interaction and enterprise activities enough to "stimulate" the economy, it failed to allocate funds for matters of immediate importance such as said earlier- as the state of health infrastructure continues to deteriorate over past few months according to some concerned government officials. Hospitals in "NCR Plus" are now running beyond capacity forcing them to move Covid-19 patients to facilities elsewhere. Worse, with today's COVID19 virus mutated and with new variants emerged, the spread of the virus will hit even worse not just in "NCR Plus" but in neigbouring regions.

And in speaking of stimulating the economy, that while work in industrial enclaves and establishments not suspended, the government imposed restrictions on transportation if not taking advantage of controversial plans such as jeepney phaseouts, bus reroutings, even limiting other mass transport such as UV Express. Ill concieved work measures resulted to retrenchments if not mass layoffs, aggravating joblessness, loss of income, and poverty.

But regardless of this inadequacy and late response, popular solidarity continues. Driven by a burning concern, that concerned individuals and civil society groups are trying their bests to support those really affected by the pandemic-driven crisis. Yet, this solidarity doesn't limit to just acts of beneficence, but a call to expose the negligence brought by the order. True that the regime has deployed police and the military to implement lockdown measures, even promising subsidies  yet the fact that there were no additional health workers to provid relief to the increasingly stressed-out nurses and doctors in overcrowded hospitals, low wages, non-payment of hazard pay, and the likes, the overall negligence keeps the folk even worry as it asserts calls for subsidies, support for frontliners, and immediate response to control the pandemic. 

And to think that Duterte himself continues to gaslight people, blaming one and feigning concern at the other, this incompetent tyrant, other than interested in "maintaining his peace" is pocketing billions of pesos whether to support his camarilla to those of the upcoming elections with his proteges, his claims of sympathies are all but crocodile tears while he ignored appeals to support the increasingly-problematic health system to deal the pandemic if not silencing the opposition and the growing concerned in pursuit of continuing power after 2022. With the limited availability of the Testing Kits and medicines, inefficient support for the frontliners and affected sectors, and ill-concieved/half-hearted medical action plans brought by the order, this lockdown or “community quarantine” as what the order claiming to have put the folk at the mercy of their employers, politicians, and the military/police officers Duterte himself has given license to oppress. This will only worsen the already intolerable conditions. This will only aggravate their hunger pangs if not agonies of pain. They will not forever be suppressed nor remain silent.