Public safety is a huge goal for every citizen of our beloved country. Central to attaining that lofty goal is wearing face masks and boosting up the Filipino people. Wearing face masks has been a way of life for all of us in the last 2 and half years , a period marked by several surges brought about by the different variants. The truth is We are facing tough challenges with the more recent highly transmissible variant , B4 and B5.

Executive Order No. 3 : a Curveball

ON September 12 , President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. approved an executive order (EO) allowing the voluntary wearing of face masks in outdoor settings, particularly in open spaces and non-crowded outdoor areas with good ventilation. Under the EO, those who have yet to complete their primary COVID-19 vaccination series, senior citizens, and immunocompromised persons are still “highly encouraged” to use face masks.The EO still requires face masks to be worn in indoor, private or public establishments, including in public transportation by land, air or sea and in outdoor settings where physical distancing cannot be maintained.

To me , this executive order is a curveball – unexpected, surprising, and disruptive.

While it may be a bit of good news that some COVID restrictions are finally being lifted, the Philippines is not ready for a mask-free world. COVID-19 is still a very much active virus with new infections and even deaths being announced on a weekly basis by the health department.

New Surge

We expected the opening of school classes last August 2 would cause an uptick of cases due to increase in mobility and the face to face sessions would trigger a potential surge of COVID cases among children. The kids are the last to receive jabs and thus have a low vaccination rate compared to adults. The Department of Health (DOH) launched a nationwide booster vaccination campaign dubbed “PinasLakas”, after the SONA of PBBM. The primary goal is to increase the number of Filipinos who have been given a COVID-19 booster shot, and help maintain the country’s wall of immunity.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday September 14 , that “ the world has never been in a better position to end the COVID-19 pandemic “ but the global agency was quick to quip that we are not there yet but the end is sight.

Too many governments have failed to adhere to basic norms of institutional rationality and transparency, too many people—often influenced by misinformation.

We are not yet ready. There may be promising signs, but we should continue to heed words of caution to protect the populace.

We are facing a massive brain drain among our healthcare workers mainly triggered by low salary with an increase in greater opportunities abroad…and we have one of the lowest booster rates in the Western Pacific with limited access to anti viral drugs.

Even as the pandemic wanes, and as the number of cases may drop, we are going to have to maintain high levels of vigilance and commitment.

According to the OCTA research group , the NCR 7-day positivity rate increased to 15.3% as of September 15. The reproduction number in the NCR increased to 1.20. Definitely , these are ominous signs. The infection rate is starting to accelerate.

Challenges Ahead

There will be times when things simply have to be replaced because they are broken, worn out, harmful, outdated, or irrelevant. Take an inventory of the things that no longer serve our best and highest good so we can replace them with things which do.

If we remain rooted in our commitment to succeed as a country and envision life in its intense, original beauty, we can create an authentic healthy behavior allowing us to surf freely on the waves of our aspirations.

Wear your face masks.

I hope we can see immense passion among our leaders to think finally about the pandemic and shift to an endemic state. Sadly, I have seen on a few number of occasions on the materialistic, political , and pleasure-filled way of life of our national leaders. They have recently disrespected and protested against DOH health precautions.

They need to take a hard look at our health policies and strengthen them for COVID-19 and future viruses.

Wear your face masks.

Face mask is our protective gear versus the virus. It reflects also our moral values and our thinking process on how to solve this pandemic.

Wear your face masks.

The COVID virus is still out there quietly waiting for the next victim. Please do it for your family , workplace colleagues, and for the country.

It’s not yet over. By  Dr. Tony Leachon

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Anthony C. Leachon, M. D.

Independent Health Reform Advocate

Past President ,
Philippine College of Physicians

Chair , Kilusang Kontra Covid
( KILKOVID )

Email address : [email protected]
[email protected]