Malacañang on Wednesday said it believes the government is doing a “very good” job in combatting the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) infections in the country, despite the unabated spike in the number of infections.
While Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque acknowledged the “continuing” transmission of Covid-19 in the country, he was convinced that the government is able to manage the pandemic.
“No country in the world is perfect in this coronavirus and I would say that we have done very good so far in containing it and also in limiting the death (of Covid-19 patients),” Roque said in an interview with CNN Philippines’ The Source.
The Philippines on Monday reported 6,958 new Covid-19 cases, the highest single-day surge in the country.
On Tuesday, the country logged an additional 2,987 Covid-19 infections, bringing the total number of cases to 139,538.
Despite this, Roque said the government is doing the “right thing” in addressing the Covid-19 pandemic.
He also reiterated that the country would have recorded millions of Covid-19 infections, had the government failed to take immediate steps to arrest the further spread of the new coronavirus.
“We do the best that we can. Number one, we recognize that there is a continuing transmission. And I’d like to point out that we have actually done a good job of containing it somehow, given that we have the highest population density in Southeast Asia,” Roque said.
He noted that the situation in the Philippines is “not as bad” as it might seem, compared to other nations, such as the United States, which have been badly hit by Covid-19.
“That’s the context by which people should evaluate – how well (the) government has responded to this challenge,” Roque said.
In March, President Rodrigo Duterte imposed an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), the strictest lockdown, in Luzon to stop the transmission of Covid-19.
Duterte in April extended the ECQ in Metro Manila and other areas considered high risk for Covid-19.
He eventually eased the quarantine restrictions to allow the gradual reopening of the economy.
However, the continuing rise in Covid-19 infections prompted Duterte to again place Metro Manila and the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal under modified ECQ (MECQ), the second most stringent quarantine classification imposed in the country, until August 18.
Roque said the classification of community quarantine in Metro Manila and its nearby provinces after August 18 would be based on the case doubling rate and critical health care capacity.
His statement came a day after he said it would be “highly unlikely” for Duterte to retain the MECQ status in Metro Manila and its nearby provinces. (PNA)
