Gwen seeks balance between COVID-19 action, economic recovery

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has called for “a sense of balance and proportion” in looking at and in dealing with the COVID-19 situation in Cebu Province.

“Kami diri sa probinsya, we accept the fact that life is not perfect. This is not a paradise. There are diseases and there are diseases.”

“It is not a matter of eradicating diseases because we cannot do that, but it’s a matter of managing diseases and, in this case, it is a matter of managing COVID-19,” she said in a live stream aired on the Facebook page of Sugbo News, Capitol’s official news site.

The governor made the statement during her visit in Argao town Tuesday after local media reported that only 10 of the 51 local government units politically under the province have no existing COVID-19 case as of Jan. 23.

The number was a further dip from the 14 LGUs without active cases as of Jan. 18. Cebu had finished 2020 with more than 30 of its LGUs enjoying a COVID-free status.

The report did not sit well with the governor.

“Mao ba gyud diay na ang importante? Mag-inihap nalang ta? Nag-ingon diay ko nga ma-zero COVID ta? Apan kun mao na lang mag-inihap na pud ta unya mahadlok na pud ta, pila na kaha run ang nagkalisud? Ang situation sa poverty, ngano di na i-report?” Garcia said.

She said economic recovery is far more important than dwelling on the COVID-19 case count in the province.

Reopening the tourism industry, and implementation of Sugbo Negosyo and Sugbusog programs meant to help local entrepreneurs recover from the economic brunt brought by the pandemic are among the initiatives of the province, according to Sugbo News.

The Capitol’s priority programs this year are geared toward providing more jobs and livelihood to people in the countryside.

“That is what we are going to do. We will not be distracted by too much concentration on COVID-19 numbers because the data are all there…We must now focus more on reviving the Cebu economy…Basi unya daghan mamatay sa gutom kaysa sa COVID mismo,” she said. — KQD (FREEMAN)