Honest, valid

I believe if Presidential spokesman Harry Roque had a proper and acceptable answer to the question of how he was able to quickly get admitted in a hospital for COVID-19 when most hospitals have declared full capacity with patients waiting at the ER or even in parking lots, he would have given it. This official of this administration was able to get a room at the PGH after being re-infected with COVID. From the looks of it, he isn't even a severe case if he was able to give a press briefing and even react to the reporter's question calling it un-Christian to ask. To be honest, we all know why he was able to get a room. Manila Bishop Broderick Pabillo recently stated Roque's "un-Christian" remark was uncalled for when government officials must always be transparent. It was an honest, valid question that deserved an honest, valid answer and not a defensive one.

The truth is no one has come forward to explain Roque's admission. Not the PGH, not even the DOH. It looks like they are distancing themselves from the issue. This is proof of sheer entitlement on the part of this administration's officials. They seem to have nothing to fear in this pandemic. Some officials violated the strictest quarantine last year, even partied or traveled to other provinces, but were they reprimanded? On the other hand, there were those gunned down, beaten, or punished because of quarantine or curfew violations. Some illegally imported vaccines but were protected from investigation. Those are the real “un-Christians” acts, not by asking an honest question.

Doctors have constantly warned hospitals are already full of COVID-19 cases. Are the doctors' warnings just for ordinary citizens and not for the entitled government officials? Do officials with less serious conditions get more consideration over the more serious patients waiting at the ER or in the hospital parking lots? We may never get an answer to this one. Or maybe we get to hear "manigas kayo" once more?

On another note, the last article mentioned the Philippines at number 28 in the number of COVID-19 cases worldwide. Only a few days ago we were at number 30. Last Monday, the country was at number 27. We surpassed Portugal, Israel, and Sweden. More than 11,000 cases were recorded last Monday. President Duterte recently placed the NCR Plus under MECQ until the end of April. We have yet to see if placing the bubble under ECQ and now MECQ will have a positive effect on the number of cases. Everyone is on edge because of everything going on around us. Unless you are a privileged official of this administration who can be assured of prompt medical attention should the need arise.