(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte is thankful to all Filipinos who have expressed their support for the Philippine government’s response to stem the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), according to his spokesperson Harry Roque.
This was after the release of a Gallup survey showing that around 80 percent of Filipinos among their respondents believed that the government is handling the COVID-19 crisis “well.”
The survey, conducted from April 6 to 8, showed that only 18 percent of those they polled were dissatisfied with the government’s response, while two percent remained ambivalent or undecided.
The Gallup International Association did a poll using online methods asking respondents in various countries, about their respective government’s response amid the pandemic that had claimed the lives of more than 180,000 people so far.
Through its partner Philippine Survey and Research Center Inc., Gallup polled 867 Filipinos aged 18 and above.
“Nagpapasalamat po ang Pangulo dahil 80% ng lahat ng Pilipino ay may opinyon na maganda naman ang paghawak ng ating gobyerno dito sa isyu ng COVID-19,” Roque said in a press briefing Thursday, April 23.
“Sang-ayon din po dito sa survey, 86% po ng ating mga kababayan ay handang magsakripisyo ng ilan ng kanilang mga karapatan para po sa pagpigil ng paglaganap ng COVID-19. At 88% po ang nagsasabi na talagang sila ay sadyang natatakot na sila mismo o di naman kaya ang kanilang mga kaanak ay baka magkasakit ng COVID-19,” he added.
-Pres. Duterte to announce Friday morning what will happen after April 30, says Roque-
Roque said that President Duterte is to announce anytime Thursday, April 23, later modifying it to Friday morning (April 24) on what will happen after April 30 — whether he would continue the entire Luzon under enhanced community quarantine or go for modified quarantine measures that would relax protocols in areas with less COVID-19 cases.
Either way, he said that the public should be assured that the President understands their predicament and would make a decision that would be for the country’s good.
“Asahan ninyo po na kung anuman ang magiging desisyon ng Presidente ay a-address-an po niya itong ating kinakatakutan na baka tayo ay magkasakit. Naiintindihan po niya na napakahirap ng ECQ at gagawin po niya ang pinakamagaling para sa sambayanang Pilipinas,” Roque said.
The Gallup poll’s results are important, he noted, as it supported the government’s position amid concerns that Southeast Asia could be the next coronavirus hotspot.
“At mahalaga po itong findings ng Gallup poll dahil sang-ayon po sa isang pag-aaral ng Johns Hopkins University, sila po ay nagbabala na ang Southeast Asia ay posible pong maging susunod na hotspot para sa coronavirus,” he said.
Roque said the President’s decision had been studied very well, and that he had consulted experts. He said that Duterte’s decision would be based on science and facts.
“Inaasahan po natin na ang Presidente ay magdedesisyon sang-ayon po sa siyensiya,” he said.
Malacanang had repeatedly said that if President Duterte did not impose ECQ as he did early on in Luzon, the country would have faced massive cases of COVID-19 as what has been happening in Europe.
(Eagle News Service)