A welcome appeal
HARD-HEADED Filipinos would do well to heed the appeal of President Rodrigo Duterte to just stay home while the COVID-19 pandemic continues to claim the lives of people across the globe.
In a pre-recorded public address Monday night, Duterte discouraged people from swarming in areas just to get free food supplies, like rice, warning that COVID-19 “is no joke.”
The Chief Executive from Mindanao scolded Filipinos for being hard-headed by leaving their homes to get “ayuda” being distributed by certain people in various parts of the country.
This, despite the fact that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), particularly the so-called new variants, is not only highly-contagious but deadly, according to world experts.
Reports said that people can be infected by breathing in the dreaded virus if they are within close proximity of someone with COVID-19, or by touching a contaminated surface.
In India, the world’s leading manufacturer of vaccines and other medicines, the bodies of COVID-19 victims are being cremated or burned in public places.
President Duterte said that instead of going out to pick “ayuda,” the people ought to coordinate with barangay officials so that they could just deliver the food supplies to their homes.
He said “hindi naman kailangang lumapit, ilagay lang (ang ayuda) doon sa table, doon sa fence (bakod) o hagdanan,” adding “this is not a joke. If you contract COVID-19, it’s death.”
Certainly, the government deserves the support of the public as it is doing its best to help people affected by the health crisis despite its limited financial and manpower resources.
In the view of many, what is needed is for the Filipino people to obey government-decreed quarantine, health and safety protocols if we are to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
