Factors leading to high incidence of COVID infections

The current statistics indicate that the Philippines has the worst record among ASEAN member nations, in terms of the COVID infection rate. And since election time is about a year from now, it is easy to play politics in assessing the situation. The opposition is influencing the people to look at the Duterte administration as the main driver in the exacerbation of this pandemic. We need to reflect on such prejudgment, however, if we are to be honest with ourselves. Yes, the temptation to rush into judgment that all the faults are to be blamed on the administration should be checked with a sense of fairness and objectivity.

Fairness impels us to look at the problem objectively and tells us to consider scientifically the following factors First, the high population density exacerbated by urban overcrowding. Second, the high poverty incidence. Third, adverse laws and government policy. Fourth, the culture of recalcitrance among the people. And fifth, partisan politics in the distribution of vaccines and ayuda. The first and most difficult factor is the high population density complicated by urban migration and overcrowding. Compared to Malaysia, which is bigger in size than our country, our population is three times larger. Malaysia only has 32 million people, while the Philippines has 111 million. To make matters worse, Filipinos, in the last three decades or so, have gone into endless waves of urban migration, overcrowding mega cities like Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, Metro Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga, Iloilo, Bacolod, Calabarzon, Central Luzon, and Baguio.

The overcrowding of big urban centers make it impossible to implement social distancing in public transport and in public places. The Filipinos cannot be subjected to very long lockdowns precisely because of the second factor, which is high poverty incidence. If we were a richer nation we could afford an uninterrupted lockdown, one where families could stay in bigger houses with a room for each member. The government can provide them bigger amounts of financial assistance and the economy could sustain a longer period of stricter protocols and prohibitions. Here, in our country, millions are closely huddled together in small shanties shared by multiple families staying in a pest-ridden, dirty, stinking environment with very poor ventilation and no sanitation. There is no decent housing for 50% of our people who are poor while 10% are extremely poor. The small middle class is already overburdened with too much taxation and is now fed up with donation fatigue, since the pressures to give is simply overwhelming and the needs of too many people are staggering.

The third factor is adverse laws and government policies. The main cause of the delay in the acquisition of vaccine is the COA rule that are too rigid, inflexible, and mindless. These are prohibiting the government from giving advance payments to foreign drug manufacturers so as to hopefully get a higher priority in the purchase of anti-virus vaccines. Because COA remains a mindless obstructionist that does not know how to recognize an emergency situation, the Philippine government is being disabled from acting. There is a need to convene Congress and to rush a legislative enabling act for the appropriation of more funds to finance purchases of vaccines. And even with special laws, COA remains impervious to the compelling necessities for urgency and for special disbursement rules. What COA considers more important than saving lives is the imperative to safeguard public funds. And yet, with all such rules, COA has failed miserably to prevent the plunder of billions, allegedly committed by senators and congressmen, in supposed conspiracy with private contractors, suppliers, and con artists, which allegedly include Napoles, et al.

Fourth is the fact that Filipinos are the most difficult to discipline when they are in the Philippines. They always violate rules and they have all the alibis for defying authorities. Fifth and last, the LGUs play politics in the distribution of ayuda and vaccines. There are families repeating and repeating and being overpaid, while others are deprived and complaining. This is a huge problem and the government is tempted to declare martial law, while some crazy people are talking of coup d'etat or to petition for the resignation of the president. This is not the time for such politicking. We always have that aberration to solve all our problems with another EDSA revolt. We should come to our senses and start behaving as rational human beings. We should think or we perish.