REFLECTION ON THE EFFECTS AND IMPACTS OF COVID-19

“I am placing the entire mainland of Luzon under [Community] Quarantine until

April 12, 2020…” – Pres. Rodrigo R. Duterte, Philippine President (March 16, 2020)

Words of the Philippine President, Rodrigo R. Duterte announced last March 16, 2020,
that placed many of the us to critical, unstable and unconscious conditions physically,
emotionally, financially and mentally as well as spiritually, resulted to many of us forced to
stay at home, unable to work, schools were closed, terminating the operations of malls and
other leisure establishments. Indeed, make some of our once lively and joyful towns, turned
into ghost towns; and left us no other choice, but to face and fight the “war against a vicious and
invisible enemy”. Community Quarantine, lockdown, checkpoints, wearing of face masks,
social distancing and other precautionary measures were observed. Men in uniforms are
patrolling every checkpoints, located between and every barangays, municipalities, cities and
provinces throughout the entire Luzon.

These were the words of the president, words of protection against the prevailing issues
and threats of the Infectious Pandemic of 2020, the COVID-19 Pandemic. A battle that killed
many of our love ones in hospitals, fighting alone in their beds, fighting together with the
medical front liners, fighting to be able again to hug and went home safely, that even some of us
fighting without even confirming what they are up to and even worst, without having a chance to
see their love ones as they close their eyes and COVID-19 Pandemic took their lives.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), COVID-19 is an infectious

disease caused by the most recently coronavirus known as “Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)”, formerly referred as “2019 Novel Coronavirus”
(2019-nCoV) but was clarified on February 11, 2020. A patient can be asymptomatic (showing
no symptoms) or symptomatic (showing symptoms), characterized commonly of having fever,
dry cough and tiredness. Some may have nasal congestion, headache, conjunctivitis, sore
throat, aches, pains, diarrhea, loss of taste and smell, rashes on skin.

The first epicenter of the COVID-19 was located at the Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
way back December 31, 2019 wherein, numerous people suddenly collapsed in an unknown

1|Page
reason. It is known that the virus (SARS-CoV-2) causing the COVID-19 is a betacoronavirus
like the MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV that are believe to be originated from bats.

According to Koon (2020), since the dawn of the civilization, animals are hunted down
for consumption, primarily domestic animals including horse, goat, dogs, pigs, ox, ducks, and
chicken. And it came to the past 40 years ago, where China in 1970, began to promote the wild
animal trade as a response to the two-decade severe economic distress, wherein famines and
food shortages crushingly increased. Opening the borders for the wild animals, Chinese
abandoned the collective farming system and they were encouraged to collect wild animals
such as rats, civets, snakes and including bats. Leading to have and become the largest wet,
wildlife market up until the spread and issue of the Coronavirus Disease (White, 2020).

World Health Organization (WHO) announced COVID-19 as Public Health

Emergency of International Concern on January 30, 2020, countries all around the world
started to respond and became alerted to the issue, travel bans to and from China were
implemented, but despite of the immediate action, numerous issues were confirmed and affirmed
that there were already community transmissions and some tourists were already meddling with
the crowd before the implementation of travel ban. And on March 11, 2020, realizing the
numerous travel history of suspected cases with numerous and initial findings of community
transmission, World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the COVID-19 is now a
Pandemic, characterized as a worldwide rapid spread of a new disease, from one country to
another and multiple countries.

Alerted by the WHO, several countries immediately took action, strict travel bans and
community quarantine were implemented, and closure of establishments ghosted the towns.
However, several countries and regions dragged the attention of the world, during the issue of
the COVID-19 Pandemic, including Europe and US were became one of the new epicenters
and due to the sudden outbreak of the pandemic leading to gain the highest reported COVID-
19 cases around the world. As of now (May 19, 2020), US alone has more than 1.5 million
reported cases, followed by Russia, Brazil, United Kingdom, Spain and Italy with more than
200, 000 reported cases. According to the Daily Bruin (2020), an online paper, it is believed that
the sudden increase of the reported COVID-19 cases were brought by the ignoring of the people
to the pandemic because of its symptoms, a “flu-like symptoms”, and was not depicted by the
2|Page
people to be as dangerous and fatal as it could be. It was also said that, some of the citizens,
despite of the fact that the community quarantine is implemented, locals disobeyed the orders to
stay at home, instead, local farmers can still be seen near the markets and doing their day-to-day
lives as usual. But what they don’t know is that, the virus unnoticeably creeping into their towns,
resulting to a mass community transmissions. On the other hand, many countries believe to be
able to manage to control the spread of the COVID-19 Pandemic, such as Japan and
Singapore, but suddenly, Singapore reported cases doubled on the first wave and being the
highest in Southeast Asia, as a result, new cases prevail leading Singapore to have 942 new
cases (second wave) and Japan having 181 new cases. South Korea also reported 91
confirmed cases, formerly recovered patients.

Meanwhile, a small country that lies on the borders of the first epicenter of the virus
(China), Vietnam managed to control and eventually COVID-free with less than 300 reported
confirmed cases, becoming the first COVID-free country in South East Asia. How? Immediate
action, strict implementation of travel bans, suspension of VISA of tourist and foreigners from
China, closing of schools, wide mass testing, 20-day quarantine in a town near China and 14-
day mandatory quarantine for tourists, using mass surveillance and strict monitoring systems
by means of advance technology reporting systems.

Philippines, one of the Third World countries, having 17.6 million poor Filipinos on
2018 Consensus of Philippine Statistics Office (PSA), is one of the major reasons/concerns of
the locals that the government is currently encountering. Despite of the strict compliance of
Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), some Filipinos urged and forced themselves to deal
with the current situation, forcing themselves to provide food, ventured and enduring the threat
of the virus just to earn money. In the worst cases, jeepney drivers, construction workers and
other locals who depend on daily income, forced themselves to supplicate and beg as if it was
their last chance to survive. Social Amelioration Program (SAP) was the answer of the
government, intended for the poorest of the poor, the needy, and those who live in the garments
of the society. But, discrepancies and issues filled the supposedly beneficial aid from the
government. Some said that there are excessive beneficiaries in a family, belongs to the middle
class and not worthy of being beneficiary, but still received the government’s assistance.
Suspension of classes and the response of other State Universtiy Colleges (SUC) and Higher
3|Page
Education Institutions (HEI) under the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) were once
become a major and hot issue, debated by various students/scholars taking their sides and
opinions as a rebut to one another. Mass Promotion is the major hot topic that took and filled
the Facebook Comment Section as well as threads and tweets on Twitter.

The Enhanced Community Quarantine, which is an effectively total lockdown in

response to the growth and spread of the disease & virus, truly affects million lives of the
Filipinos, especially in Luzon. Despite the fact that it causes countless problems, it has
numerous advantages. Firstly, the pandemic gives us time to stay in our homes to spent time
with our love ones. Moreover, due to the lockdown in different places of the world, Nature was
able to breathe from the overwhelming polluted and populated world leading for our
environment to slowly and somehow heal itself. This includes reduction the air pollution that
improved the air quality, temporary break from human activities helps to decline water
pollution, climate change, ozone layer depletion, global warming, depletion of ground water
level and other changes in biodiversity and the ecosystem.

The ECQ indeed, affects the lifestyle of many people including on expenditure of the
days barely getting outside our houses and struggling to work and study-at-home with possible
and numerous distractions. On top of that, one of the major effects of the pandemic, is the
economic degradation, since the area of quarantine was expanded to the whole area of Luzon –
the largest island of the country, which comprises almost 60 million of population plus the
metropolitan of the country - Metro Manila, have been contributing ¾ (75%) of the country’s
economy, the immediate response of the national government to have an ECQ, placed some of
us to serious risks in their lives such as cessation of their jobs and other establishments where
they depend their daily source of income.

According to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA),

“Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) now poses a more serious downside risk to the
economy”. As WHO announced its severity, it forced countries to take urgent, immediate and
aggressive action and as a result, several countries around the world have taken and applied a
variety of precautionary/preventive measures in order to prevent the spread of virus and lessen its
impact.

4|Page
 NEDA, on its report, states the various impacts of the pandemic to the different
government sectors, including tourism, public transportation, exports, as well as to the
employments due to the implementation of the Luzon-wide ECQ. In the Philippines, tourism is
one of the contributors to the GDP of the country accounting 1.5% in 2018, but due to the travel
ban in China and South Korea because of the pandemic; which comprises a 22% (1.8 million
arrivals) tourist from China and 24% (2.0 million arrivals) from Korea; it is expected to have a
great loss and impacts to the tourism sector as well as to the lives of the Filipino that depends on
tourism, estimated about 33, 800 to 56, 600. Due to the implementation and release of guidelines
of the Luzon-wide ECQ, Government and central banks have also been adjusting the
monetary/fiscal policies to deal with the national budget to mitigate/lessen the severity of the
risks of the pandemic and its impact to the economy of the country as well as to save enough
budget needed by the government whenever the ECQ will be extended further.

Exports are also affected wherein, China is the country’s “single largest trading partner”
comprising 20% of the Philippines total trade in 2019. Impacts on Household consumptions
are also affected, as stated in the report, it is expected to be decreased until June due to the strict
preventive measures practiced in each locality such as social distancing, and other health-related
concerns. In transportation, PUV’s were ceased to operate including bus, tricycle and jeepneys.
Despite of the fact that the Luzon-wide ECQ approves to operate the private establishments that
provide basic necessities and also other establishments related to food, health services, banking
services such as supermarkets, hospitals, pharmacies, food preparation and delivery services,
and water-refilling stations, there are still other sectors will be closed, unable to operate and will
be much affected such as in retail trade due to mall closures and cease of the operations of public
transportation.

After ECQ was extended from April 12 to April 30, 2020, the Inter-Agency Task
Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) recommended to
extend the ECQ in high-risk geographic areas in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao from May 1
up to May 15, 2020. At the same period, IATF also proposed a General Community
Quarantine (GCQ) in low-risk and moderate areas in the country. On GCQ, according to the
Omnibus Guidelines of the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines, Sec.
3, Article 6, it is stated that only Categories I, II, III were only be allowed to operate. This will
5|Page
include agriculture, fishery, food manufacturing businesses, health-related establishments,
telecommunication companies, deliver/repair services, housing/office services and personal care
services from 50% to full operational capacity as stated in the guidelines.

Palawan was recommended from ECQ to GCQ, the so-called “New Normal”, that
gently pulling out the locals from their houses and homes. With this matter, many scholars and
locals presented and gave their opinions in concerning the restoration the economic activities of
the country after several days prior to the implementation of GCQ. Some of the locals have
disagreed to the implementation of GCQ to the restore the economic activities. According to a
seminarian, he said “No. The local people are not strictly following the GCQ. In a priest point
of view, “moderate/low risk [for] GCQ is not effective. Old normal is the only way in restoring
the economic activities”.

However, despite of the insufficiencies of the government in the implementation, some of

the locals were satisfied and took a positive side on the issue of restoration of economic activities
through GCQ. According to a student, “I think it is a start, a step in the right direction to
economic recovery.” He also pointed out that “if this current situation will take much longer, it
may result that the Philippine will have its loan to the World Bank and would put the country in
an enormous amount of debt”.

The implementation of the GCQ, “will be a great help to restore the economy of the
country, in the first place, each and every one contributes for the building of the economy such
as ‘through’ manpower” said by a humanitarian. And lastly, a Master in Public
Administration graduate said that “There is a possibility for the restoring of the economic
activities of the country through GCQ, but not full blown, due to that fact that Category 1, 2, 3
are allowed”. He also added that “It will take much longer to restore it, due to the threats of the
COVID-19”.

In times of an upheaval such as this unprecedented pandemic, we can get into a

headspace to imagine a more hopeful future. Despite of the various advantages, disadvantages as
well as the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic in our whole country, Filipinos was able to
manage to look forward and overcome the circumstances provided and emerged within.
Characters of the Filipinos such us being resilient, joyful, compassionate still overflowed

6|Page
unceasingly in every corner of the country. Filipinos were helping each and every one, small or
big amount, reported or not but “a kind and giving heart makes the count”. In connection with
this, Media also plays a vital role during the pandemic, reading memes, watching funny videos,
being informed with the latest updates around the globe helps to boost and the resort of
enthusiasm. There are daily vlogs, pranks, Ms. Everything, Tiktok, KMJS, YouTube, Facebook,
Netflix and many more. It is indeed, that social media prevents us from depression, anxiety and
other burdens brought by the pandemic which we can consider as the “most tragic phenomenon”
in our era, taking more lives each and every day.

Realizations encouraged patients and our locals that is shared and spread around the
entire country that, through the pandemic and ECQ, meaning of life is valued, that build
stronger family connections, maintaining a clean and healthy community, valued savings,
being health conscious and as well as having stronger and stronger and deeper faith with God
will help to fight the pandemic. The crisis that we are facing today taught us to value everything
around us. This pandemic serves as a valuable and treasured lesson for us to be prepared and
equipped physically, mentally and spiritually.

Submitted by:

Albarracin, Renier De Leon, Shadrock Espinosa, Eddie Jr.

Daganta, Jay Carlo Salivio, Benjie

References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, May 12). Coronavirus Disease 2019: Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved
from: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html

National Economic and Development Authority. (2020). Addressing the Social and Economic Impact of the COVID-19
Pandemic. Retrieved from http://www.neda.gov.ph/addressing-the-social-economic-of-the-covid-19-pandemic

Silva, R. D. (2020). COVID-19: Its Impact on the Philippines. Retrieved from: http://www.europe-solidaire.org/spip.php? Article
52772

United Nations Development Programme. (2020). United Nations Development Programme. Retrieved from: https://www.undp
.org/content/undp/en/home/coronavirus.html

World Health Organization. (2020, April 17). Q&A on coronaviruses (COVID-19). Retrieved from: https://www.who.int/
emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/question-and-answers-hub/q-a/detail/q-a-coronaviruses

7|Page