Don’t get me wrong. 
I recognize that there’s merit in the strict implementation of lockdowns. I know they really help. 
BUT I just hope that the country takes a different approach to handle A HEALTH CRISIS. We don’t have money to provide rapid testing kits, but we have money to send the military everywhere. 
That’s pretty crazy. All hell will break loose if that at all happens in the US. People here already up in arms just with mask wearing. 
Are you from Cebu City?
Lockdowns are necessary when the virus gets out of control, but they have to be combined with proper testing. It’s very concerning that you guys aren’t getting enough testing.
1 Like
Hello poponwei! I’m not from Cebu. But I have a few friends living there now. So I’m just worried for them (because of the virus, and also because of the alarming military force in their area. )
Yeah. I’d love to update you and say things have changed. But I’d be lying. The government has actually passed on the responsibility to the people saying “whatever happens from hereon out will depend on the actions of the people.”
Same here. I feel so helpless. The health and safety of vulnerable people depends on the actions of those who want to keep partying.
I see party videos all the time it is ridiculous. Have you heard the story of the lady who brought her immunocompromised child to church and then she got COVID and then died?? And how she’s now calling the daughter a patriot. 
I’ve heard so many stories of that type that I can’t even tell which one you mean.
In my country it’s the prom balls and football matches causing trouble. We had ourselves a nice good football match last week with 12,000 people audience, all gathered together, screaming at the top of their lungs.
It’s so sad but I know exactly what you mean. From racism to covid denial, they just all blend together in my memory. 
When was this? The clock is ticking, we’ll see if it increases cases!
1 Like
It was well over ten days ago. We had a spike in cases, then we implemented mandatory masks in indoor public spaces, then our cases dropped somewhat, now we’re having wide-spread rallies and protests over local political drama, and everyone are without masks. So. We’ll see.
I guess this sort of problem isn’t just in the US. Anyone from Asia who can chime in? I feel like they’re all used to wearing masks over there. 
1 Like
True. I never imagined that adoption of that habit would be so hard elsewhere.
1 Like
The health and safety of vulnerable people depend on the actions of the people.
1 Like
Exactly. Sadly there are a lot of people out there who do not care.
1 Like
I’m guessing that’s where the government mandate comes in.
1 Like
It is an uneducated misconception of many anti government critics (critics most likely paid for by the “legal fronts” of the Communists seeking to destabilize government) to equate military response to a lack of healthcare response. The misnomer is that both fronts are being polarized by uneducated critics to downplay efforts of the government on TWO fronts:
(1) Medical response (acquisition of test kits, operation of test labs, subsidizing PPE and healthcare workers) - YES we have been doing these but the media do not emphasize these enough
and
(2) Quarantine protocols = Law enforcement (Police and military) - We have been too lenient.
The medical response goes hand in hand with the enforcement of quarantine protocols.
(1) The medical response targets the treatment and resolution of existing cases
while
(2) Law enforcement PREVENTS new cases by limiting the movement of possible carriers and possible hosts for the virus.
We need efforts on BOTH fronts to stop the spread of the virus. Even if we test 100% of people (which is an insane impossibility), without the necessary lockdowns and quarantine protocols followed, cases will continually rise as free and unnecessary movement of hosts will simply add more infections. More hosts = more cases = more deaths. No hosts = no cases = no deaths.
We have been lax with our law enforcements as we give too much respect to these “activists” making rallies and protests… in the middle of a pandemic. Newspaper photographs also show that distancing and masks are followed by these “activists” up until photo ops and then as their rally progresses, there is no distancing and proper use of face masks.
Not everyone is wearing a mask and there is no such thing as distancing. With scenarios like this becoming commonplace, I would not be surprised if our cases shot through the roof.
PS. Girl on the front row 2nd from left - Wtf are you doing with that mask?
In any case, EVERYONE deploys law enforcement simply because you can’t rely on people to voluntarily follow quarantine protocols. If people 100% voluntarily complied with quarantine protocols, we would not need law enforcement (fat chance). 
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/uk-army-deployed-to-help-covid-19-fight-amid-lockdown/1777417
Medical personnel treat existing cases while law enforcement reduces the chances of new cases.
A bit late but you might find this site interesting. 
It shows how behaviors have changed in different countries, due to the pandemic.
In the Philippines, 91% of Filipinos wear masks. Other Asian countries like Vietnam, India, HK, Indonesia, also have high scores.
I understand where you’re coming from and these mass movements are not without faults (when it comes to social distancing and wearing masks)
But like you’ve said, law enforcement supposedly help in reducing the chances of new cases. And with that, I think government officials and law enforcers should set a good example for people in the country, to encourage them to follow protocols (instead of of course using force and fear). 
Personally, I think it’d be quite hypocritical to ask people to obey quarantine protocols without calling out law enforcers who have also disobeyed the protocols.
And this one is an article on the Balik Probinsya/ Hatid Tulong program:
We can call out the protesters for not strictly following protocols. But let’s also call out the government officials for disobeying the rules themselves and for their lacking efforts provide better assistance for their people.
This is based on US protests but might be relevant.
Nationwide Protests Haven't Caused a COVID-19 Spike (So Far) | Time
This is not wanting the government to fail. 
This is just calling out what needs to be improved.
Also, I guess I also missed to address the 100% testing, you mentioned. This is just to clarify that mass testing is by no means testing 100+ M of Filipinos. It’s pretty much like large-scale testing. (I think at this point, we should be over definition of terms. 
) But lockdowns, without mass testing, would be for nothing.