In a desperate bid to stem the tide of COVID -19 infection in the Philippines, President Duterte has cast a wider net of community quarantine covering the entire island of Luzon by ordering its 53.3 million people to stay at home and stop work and transport.
Duterte is expected to make public his order for an “enhanced community quarantine.” Ten hours ago, land borders of Metro Manila was gripped with long queues of laborers trying to get exemption to enter the metropolis and resume work.
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“The president’s ultimate goal is to save ourselves from ourselves,” Duterte’s spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a television interview.
As of 5pm Monday, the number of COVID-19 patients have risen to 140 – from only three cases 10 days ago – with 12 deaths.
Aside from locking half of the Philippine population in their homes, enhanced community quarantine requires that transportation be suspended. This will paralyze the working class who are heavily dependent on public transportation.
Food and essential services will also be regulated.
Police and military presence “shall be heightened to strictly implement the quarantine regulation.”
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In a text message to reporters, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez assured that the supply of food and basic necessities are “more than enough” and that “there is no need to panic.”
Supermarkets, drugstores and banks will remain open, Lopez added.
Thousands of commuters on Monday morning were stranded in public utility vehicle terminals and train stations, as the number of passengers of PUVs were restricted to half of its original capacity. In turn, social distancing— the main instruction of the Philippine government for those going out — was not followed.
