Duterte administration ‘underperformed’ in COVID-19 response, experts say

WAITING FOR A BUS People in face masks and face shields wait for a ride at Nepa Q-Mart bus station in Quezon City on June 14, 2021, as Metro Manila remains under a general community quarantine with heightened restrictions status due to a high number of COVID-19 cases. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — The Duterte administration “underperformed” in its response to the coronavirus pandemic which continues to hound the country, two experts in the field of political science and development studies said.

In an interview for the “Duterte at 5: the Duterte Administration by the Numbers” of the Ateneo School of Government, political science professor Carmel Abao said the national government failed to meet its own targets based on the previous pronouncements of President Rodrigo Duterte that the situation in the country will be back to normal by December.

“Sa sarili nilang terms of reference, tingin ko nag-underperform ang gobyerno. Hindi nila naabot ‘yung sarili nilang mga targets at hindi nila napatototoo ‘yung mga salita ng Presidente,” Abao said.

(On their own terms of reference, I think the government underperformed. They failed to accomplish their own targets and realize the pronouncements of the President.)

“Last year, I think that was June or July of 2020, sinabi na ng Presidente na by December back to normal na tayo. Kaso imbes na maging back to normal tayo, lumala iyong sitwasyon. Hindi naman natin na-flatten ‘yung curve,” she added.

(Last year, I think that was June or July of 2020, the President already said that by December we will be back to normal. But instead of going back to normal, the situation worsened. We were not able to flatten the curve.)

READ: Duterte vows PH ‘back to normal’ by December, expects virus vaccine from China

For her personal assessment, Abao said the government’s COVID-19 response was also “shallow, disorderly, and slow,” adding that the Duterte administration’s choices of individuals handling the pandemic – which includes members of the military – shows that the government’s views the pandemic situation as a law and order problem rather than a health or economic issue.

“Sa sarili kong panukat, parang mas malala pa. Tingin ko ang response ng gobyerno ay mababaw, magulo, [at] mabagal. Hindi na-konekta na ang pandemya ay primarily health problem. Aside from it being a health problem, it’s a social mobilization problem,” Abao said.

“‘Pag tinanong mo ako on their own terms and on my own terms, kulang na kulang talaga ‘yung response ng gobyerno sa COVID crisis,” she added.

Failure in planning, communication

But Sociologist and Development Studies Professor Jayeel Cornelio said that the Duterte administration had its high points, too, such as the passage of the Bayanihan measures that sought to cushion the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

However, he likewise pointed out that mere passage of the Bayanihan measures does not mean that the government’s action to deal with the public health crisis has been effective.

One of the low points of the administration, Cornelio said, was its failure to give the public ample time for its pandemic response measures such as the imposition of lockdowns.

“Number one, militarized na nga ‘yung response. Tapos number two, napakabilis pa. Just like that, nag-lockdown so iyong mga negosyo, iyong mga nagta-trabaho, walang wiggle room to maneuver and to adjust,” Cornelio said.

(Number one, the response was militarized. Then number two, very hurried. Just like that, the lockdown was imposed so the businesses, the workers, have no wiggle room to maneuver and to adjust.)

“Kapag may gusto tayong gawin na pagbabago sa ating komunidad o sa ating lipunan, kailangan inihahanda natin ‘yung mga tao. Hindi pwedeng ora-orada,” he added.

(If we want to change something in our community or society, we need to prepare the people. It cannot be rushed.)

Another low point, Cornelio said, is the lack of effective communication strategy.

“Parang magsasalita si President sa kanyang press conference, walang kinalaman sa COVID. At kung may kinalaman sa COVID, magulo naman ‘yung mensahe tapos ipapaliwanag kinabukasan ng spokesperson. Tapos magsasalita ‘yung [Department of Health], iba-iba rin ang sinasabi,” Cornelio said.

(It’s like the President will talk in his press conference, but not related to COVID. And if there would be any relation to COVID, it would be a confusing message that will be explained the next day by the spokesperson. Then the Department of Health, which is also saying different things.)

Lack of financial assistance

In response to the pandemic, the national government passed two Bayanihan measures – the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act and the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act – to provide assistance to Filipinos, particularly low-income families and frontliners mostly affected by the crisis. Billions of budget were allotted for the measures on top of the appropriations included in the 2021 national budget.

While this helped, Abao believes that the financial assistance did not reach all Filipinos.

“Kung totoong lahat ay naabot, bakit ang haba ng pila sa mga community pantry? Kaya may pangangailangan ng pantry kasi ang dami pang hindi naaabot ng gobyerno… We cannot ignore this kind of context,” Abao said.

(If it’s true that everyone was reached, why was there long lines at community pantries? There was a need for the panty because a lot more are not being reached by the government… We cannot ignore this kind of context.)

Cornelio also raised that the government likewise borrowed money to help it in its pandemic response.

INQUIRER.net has sought comment from Malacañang on the assessments offered by the experts but has yet to receive a reply as of this posting.

KGA