Opening doors

The impact of quarantine measures in many parts of the Philippines, like that of the United States and other countries, is felt by industries and business establishments as well as of workers who have lost their sources of livelihood.

Sen. Cynthia Villar urges the Metro Manila Council and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to consider the lifting of enhanced community quarantine especially in localities identified as low and moderate risk in terms of number of COVID-19 cases.

She says she agrees that “we should start re-opening the economy and begin the implementation of new normal measures in Metro Manila areas that have been successful in keeping their COVID-19 cases under control.”

The senator also adds that “the prolonged ECQ is already taking its toll on the economy and employment situation in the country and causing distress among workers and their families.”

“We all know that the government cannot provide assistance to everybody affected by this public health emergency. We should now start re-opening the economy with health protocols such as the use of face masks and the practice of social distancing strictly implemented,” Villar adds.

Earlier, Villar recommended the return of workers in labor-intensive sectors such as construction, manufacturing and agriculture.

As of May 8, 2020, Metro Manila areas which have the lowest number of cases per 100,000 population are: Caloocan (14.5), Navotas (14.9), Malabon (15), Valenzuela (17.1), Marikina (28.1), Las Piñas (32.6), Muntinlupa (32.9), Taguig (33.2), and Pateros (33.8).

“By now, places where COVID-19 cases are concentrated are already identified by the local government. Strict quarantine measures will continue to be implemented here while quarantine measures can be eased in low-risk areas,” Villar said.

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On the other hand, businesswoman Teresita Sy-Coson, vice chair of the country’s largest conglomerate, SM Investments Corp., appealed to the government as early as last month, to allow all industries, including the Transport sector, to resume 50 percent of their operating capacity even as the country remained on tight guard against the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

In a proposal addressed to the Department of Labor and Employment, Sy-Coson  said that if  all the industries can start operating [at a capacity of] 50 percent, including the transport [sector], with all the medical precaution like making test kits more available and disinfecting measures and sanitation safeguards, then employment will be available to returning OFWs (overseas Filipino workers).

She said the private sector would do its part in increasing employment while maintaining other safeguards like social distancing and disinfecting.

“Employment is also the key to the health of their family – by having enough food for their own immunity – and the key to the health of our economy,” Sy-Coson added.

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The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), Department of Health (DOH), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Commission on Human Rights (CHR), and the Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) strongly condemn all forms of gender-based violence (GBV) during the COVID-19 crisis.

According to the 2017 National Demographic and Health Survey, 3 out of 20 women and girls aged 15-49 have experienced physical violence, while 1 out of 20 have experienced sexual violence. Based on the same report, spousal violence has happened to 1 out of 4 married Filipina. Furthermore, while the prevalence of violence against the LGBTQ+ remains undocumented, numerous anecdotal reports demonstrate the gravity of the issue.

“We are aware that the implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine, aimed to reduce transmission of COVID-19, may increase the frequency and severity of violence against these vulnerable populations,” the group’s joint statement said.

“We call upon Local Government Units to maintain functional GBV referral mechanisms for efficient response. Most importantly, we urge victims to step forward and seek help.”

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In a related development,  the Commission on Population and Development in the National Capital Region (POPCOM-NCR) enjoins the members of the Regional Inter-Agency Committee on Violence Against Women and Children (RIAC-VAWC) in providing interventions and assistance to concerns and cases reported to POPCOM COVID19 Helpline.

The POPCOM COVID19 Helpline caters to issues and concerns related to Responsible Parenthood, Family Planning, Adolescent Health and Gender-Based Violence. The public is advised to call or text its official helpline numbers 09617432337 (Smart) and 09272998764 (Globe) or through messenger via POPCOM-NCR Facebook account.

POPCOM-NCR Regional Director Lydio Español Jr. said that operation of the helpline was brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic that caused most countries to implement home quarantine as a safety precautionary measure for the spread of infection among individuals, thus limiting the access and delivery of family planning (FP) information and services. Apart from this, the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) may also facilitate gender-based violence and longer exposure of adolescents to misinformation about their sexuality, said Español.

“Reproductive health services are fundamental human rights. Depriving people of these services equates to depriving them of their right to live particularly the poorest of the poor who have limited access to health services,” Español explained.

He added that the ECQ being implemented nationwide makes it difficult for women and couples to access family planning services from health centers which may lead to more unplanned pregnancies and higher unmet need for modern FP.

Due to strict community quarantine measures, women and children may be exposed to the risk of violence against women and children, which could either be verbal, physical, emotional, including financial abuses. These cases, if not attended to, could put more lives at risk as ECQ limited everyone’s mobility, thereby posing a longer threat to women and children who are with their perpetrators at most times.

Adolescents in the country also face many legal, social and political barriers to access sexual and reproductive health services which could put them at risk to engaging into risky sexual and non-sexual behaviors, resulting in unintended pregnancies, acquire STI and HIV and other health and development concerns. Also, with the ongoing ECQ, adolescents have more time to explore the internet that exposes them to unfiltered information like pornography and violence.

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