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Seduco, Carlo Benedict P. May 30, 2020

MARP23/HPOLGOV

CRITIQUE PAPER

Months after implementing a nationwide lockdown cause by the Pandemic, President

Rodrigo Duterte keep on extending the quarantine due to the high numbers of infected. But as
more cases of infection continue to be reported, the authorities have hinted at the possibility of
a switching the lockdown to modified enhance general quarantine beyond June 1 in a bid to
stabilize the economy.

Particular challenges can be found in Metro Manila, which is among the most densely
populated city in the world. Informal settlers include a nearly 11% of the Metro Manila
population, living in tightly packed towns with extremely poor sanitation.

The structural challenges of an ill-equipped health system and high urban density are
very much worsened by the failure of effective leadership. Not unlike other, President Rodrigo
Duterte first denied and then only very acknowledged the dangers caused by the coronavirus.
True to his style, he finds it much easier to utter harsh directives than to demonstrate decision-
making capability.

Duterte has seen the virus as an opportunity to add to the already substantial authority
of the Philippine chief executive, and Congress has only been too willing to comply. With his
March 24 signing of the Heal as One Act, which enhances his emergency powers, Duterte
acquired what a lone opposition senator called blank check with no clear plan or strategy to
defeat Covid-19. As a keen observer of this administration, it is a disastrous mistake to give
more power to one man, especially one who believes that the problems of the country can be
simply solved with the use of brute force and martial law powers.
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Duque’s statement aligns with the stance his boss Duterte, has taken from his first day
in office. Early in his term, the president declared his desire to improve relations with China and
separate from the United States. He has repeatedly said that now is not the time to fight China,
specifically on the Philippines recognized claims to disputed territories in the West Philippine
Sea.

Duterte remained relaxed as the health department continued its updates on the threat
and the media reported on the spread of Covid-19 worldwide. In early February, he urged the
public to remain calm and joked that he was seeking out the virus and would slap it down when
he found it. He also asserted that the national government was prepared to handle this public
health emergency in case the worst scenario happens.

When he expanded the lockdown, Duterte didn’t take the opportunity to spell out
measures that would reassure the public about their welfare. He didn’t outline how the
government would help wage earners deprived of their income or how food and other essential
supplies would be made available. Instead of thanking medical frontliners and assuring them
that the protective equipment they need was on its way, he expressed gratitude to Chinese
President for his offer of assistance. He did not outline any clear plan for targeted measures of
the kind that have proved successful in Singapore, South Korea and elsewhere including wider
testing and thorough contract tracing .

Without a clear plan for tackling the pandemic, Duterte called on his allies in Congress
to declare a national emergency and grant him extraordinary powers. The initial draft of the
Heal as One Act submitted by Malacañang Palace, the President’s residence and workplace, to
the lower house would have empowered Duterte to take over any private corporation or utility.
Not surprisingly, that provision sparked opposition from the business community, particularly
given Duterte’s recent strong attacks on three leading conglomerates. In the end, the Senate
removed this controversial power from the final version of the law.