(Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte advised the Filipino public not to panic amid the coronavirus disease scare as the Code Red alert sublevel 2 is declared in the country on Thursday night, March 12, allowing community quarantine in affected parts of the country.
“Sa mga kababayan ko, ‘Do not panic. Huwag kayong masyadong ma-stress na parang hindi mo na magawa ang gusto mong gawin. Puede pa rin pero may mga restrictions tayo, dahil nga may crisis,” he said.
“The crisis is very, very clear. COVID-19 is spreading all throughout including the Philippines. There’s no cure as of now,” he said addressing the Filipino public around 9 p.m. Thursday, as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country rose to 52.
“It’s a virus. And panlaban lang natin ay katawan natin na in good health. Yung medyo mahina, make yourselves healthier by whatever means, maybe food, maybe vitamins. Most of all try to obey what government is suggesting for you to do,” he said.
President Duterte approved the recommendations of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease which included the following:
-suspension of classes in all levels until April 12, 2020 in Metro Manila;
– prohibition of mass gatherings, defined as planned or spontaneous event where the number of people attending could strain the planning and response resources of the community hosting the event, until April 12;
-community quarantine in the entirety of Metro Manila until April 12;
– suspension of work in the executive department for the same period;
-and flexible work arrangement for the private sector.
-Guidelines for community quarantine-
President Duterte also read the guidelines for the “community quarantine” in Metro Manila.
He said that a “barangay-wide quarantine” is advised “when there are at least two positive COVID-19 cases belonging to different households in the same barangay.”
Meanwhile, a municipality or city wide quarantine is advised “when there are at least two positive COVID-19 cases belonging to different barangays in the same municipality.”
On the other hand, a “province-wide quarantine is advised when there are at least two positive COVID-19 cases belonging to different municipalities, component cities or independent component cities in the same province.”
-Land, domestic air and sea travel from Metro Manila suspended from March 15 to April 14-
The President also said that land, domestic air, and sea travel to and from Metro Manila shall be suspended from Sunday, March 15 to April 14 “subject to the daily review of the Inter-Agency Task Force.”
Railway travel is, however, allowed but passengers should maintain the “proper social distancing,” he said.
Duterte said that they would assess the situation daily.
“Tingnan natin kung anong nangyayari, if there’s a slowdown of the contagion. Talagang ganyan yung history ng sakit na ito. They come and go every two or three generations,” he said.
Duterte said that local government units outside of Metro Manila would also have a “little leeway, elbow room” to suspend classes in the community.
“It is only done because you have to protect them (the students) from the COVID-19,” the President said.
-Daily meetings to assess the situation-
He said that a meeting would be conducted daily by the Inter-Agency Task Force, including the other cabinet members, and the heads of the Philippine Army, Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard.
“Huwag kayong matakot. The Armed Forces is there to serve you,” he said, advising the public, stressing that the military and the police will help “keep things in the country in order.”
“This is not a martial law,” Duterte stressed.
The President said that Filipinos from other countries with high COVID-19 cases are “very much welcome to come back to the country.” but foreign nationals from countries that had imposed a lockdown or a travel ban would not be allowed into the country.
“I don’t mind Filipinos giving me a headache, but I certainly do not want to have others giving me a headache,” he said.
President Duterte also said that tests for COVID-19 would be made free to the public.
The Department of Health earlier explained that once a Code Red Sublevel 2 is raised, this means that there is continued human to human transmission, where the source of the infection is already hard to identify.
