THE first case reported on novel coronavirus disease2019 (Covid-19) was in China. It was linked to an animal source from a live animal market in Wuhan where fishes, bats, reptiles, and other live or dead animals were traded. In the Philippines, this hasn’t caused much trouble yet until news sparked pertaining to a five-year-old boy from China who was admitted in the hospital in Cebu days after his flight with his mother from Hong Kong, showing possible signs of the virus. Afterward, passengers of Cebu Pacific 5J111 were advised to have a check-up for any symptom of fever, cough, shortness of breath, colds, chills and other respiratory diseases.
The mother and child arrived on the week of the Sinulog celebration. A lot of fake news exploded, such as that they may have gone out and had fun with the other people during the event. Within days, panic and fear struck the citizens who demanded from government security and safety.
Thankfully, the government later decided to impose a temporary ban on travel to the Philippines, with a required 14-day quarantine of passengers of flights from China. A temporary ban was also imposed on travel to China, Hong Kong, and Macau. In the Philippines, there are now 133 people being checked, 144 people admitted, and 15 people were discharged. Among those, 63 were Filipinos, 54 Chinese, and 16 other nationalities. There are three confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV. Sadly, there is already the first case of Covid-19 death in the Philippines, the first outside of China.
On Jan. 31, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Covid-19 as a global health emergency. I am saddened that these issues and dilemma truly affected Duterte’s foreign policy, particularly on China. This means that Philippine national interests are designed to maximize the country’s security and prosperity. It is a must for the President to weigh and reconsider his various decisions. It is truly difficult because his term is mostly built on cooperation with China. It’s a dilemma whether to move aside diplomacy to firstly prioritize his people’s public safety, which will affect Chinese investment or to move aside domestic safety in order to maintain China’s favor.
I believe that imposing a travel ban is the right decision. It is no longer a case for diplomacy, but for the citizens’ welfare and well-being. Besides, isn’t diplomacy needed for the benefit of our own people? I think there would be no purpose for diplomacy if our own people do not benefit the most. The pandemic affected many lives around the world. I fear that it would affect too gravely the Philippines when immediate action is not taken, given the fact that our country lacks the health facilities and equipment to right away combat the virus. I don’t want another death to occur in my own country as well as in the whole world.
We should stop spreading fake rumors regarding the virus. We must also stop our prejudice against the Chinese. Fighting against the virus through prevention and awareness is way better than hiding, exposing from danger, and waiting for the cure.