MANILA, Philippines — Don’t panic and buy everything in the grocery, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez advised the public on Tuesday.
And if you want to stock up on food, just buy the basic necessities like rice that may be good for at least two weeks.
Because despite the threats of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Lopez assured the government is ready even in the extreme scenario of a lockdown.
“Huwag mag-panic. Huwag mag-panic at ubusin ang laman ng grocery, hindi kailangan,” the official told reporters after attending a Senate hearing.
(Don’t panic. Don’t panic, and then buy everything in the grocery, there’s no need to do that.)
“Ngayon kung gusto nyong mag-stock, ‘yung medyo matagal ‘yung shelf life, medyo safe mag-stock up nun,” he added.
(Now if you want, you can stock up on those with long shelf life. It’s safe to stock up on that.)
Lopez, however, insisted there is no need yet to hoard food as he dismissed the possibility of a lockdown in the near future.
And even if the government imposes a lockdown, he said this could be done only in one or some areas with concentration of COVID-19 cases.
Other areas in the country would continue to function and help supply food to the affected areas, he explained.
Lopez then warned that needless stockpiling would only result in “unnecessary shortages.”
“Basta may basic food ka. Una, siguro kung mag stock pile ka, bigas siguradong busog ka, may kakainin ka. So bigas ‘yung stockpile ninyo kung gusto ninyo ng safety kasi ang Filipino kahit na anong ulam, madali na ‘yan,” he said.
(As long as you have the basic food. First, maybe if you want to stockpile, rice because you won’t starve for sure. So you stockpile on rice if you want to be safe because Filipinos can do with any viand, that’s easy.)
Lopez said there is also no need to squirrel away alcohol and sanitizers as there has been sufficient supply in the market.
KGA
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