JUST like a bubble, the sense that the Philippines is free from coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the past months burst this week with a rush of 24 confirmed local patients with Covid19 all over the country.
But in the midst of this public alarm, the government proudly props the news that the president is enjoying the highest satisfaction rating of 73 percent on December last year.
Between the fact that a president gets a 73 percent rating and a public that can’t trust how the Department of Health in how it is handling the Covid-19, you wonder which of these facts mirrors our state of mind.
But what could be more distressing is the state of mind of the ever popular president. On his press conference Tuesday night, when all eyes and ears and reporters were glued to him to know what next steps the government will take on this Covid scare, he shifted the discussion to Sinophobia, China and Pogo.
If the signs of a person having Covid are cough, fever and sore throat, how do we diagnose the president who seem to be more articulate about protecting China and its Pogo business rather than concerning himself with the public health? Seeing him wax and weave around things about China seems surreal. Perhaps he is serious about his statement that we become a province of China. But will that help ease our panic?
The women’s alliance Gabriela pointed out during the International Women’s Day rally days ago, about the glaring inconsistency. How can this president be as popular when his speech, and also his policies are making our health and economy turn to worst?
“Let us ask the 16 million Filipino women who are economically insecure - those who are not part of the labor force and could not get regular and decent work. The supposed survey results do not reflect the sense of insecurity of workers whose wages barely cover the expenses their families need. It does not show the grief and despair of families and loved ones of hundreds of human rights defenders who were killed, arrested, detained, and harassed,” said Gabriela Secretary General Joms Salvador.
Such irony indeed.
Even if scientists and doctors are confirming that the spread of coronavirus is not that lethal, and that 80% of those who fell ill in the past few weeks have actually recovered, we still have to worry about more pressing things. This includes the state of our people’s health, economy, and public trust on officials.
And also when will that bubble about high ratings will finally burst us from our sleep.