Avoid mass gatherings, campaign online for now – docs to bets
The Philippine Medical Association suggests online campaigning for candidates instead of the traditional mass gatherings.. (Graphic design by MARIE FARO / INQUIRER.net)
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Medical Association (PMA), the largest organization of doctors in the country, has urged candidates to campaign online instead of holding mass gatherings that can turn into superspreader events.
PMA president Dr. Benito Atienza said on Monday that it would be hard to enforce health protocols in huge crowds — one reason why he was against a sudden shift to alert level 1 which would mean the easing of restrictions.
“We don’t know if [protocols] are followed and we have no way of knowing which of the participants are unvaccinated or vaccinated. With so many people, the government cannot control them,” he said at the Laging Handa briefing.
According to Atienza, one sick person at an event could infect so many others, leading to a hike in COVID-19 cases.
“Our advice to candidates is to go online for now,” he said, noting that under alert level 2, the indoor capacity of venues should just be at 50 percent and 70 percent for outdoor capacity.
Article continues after this advertisementHowever, this was not always the case at some events he had seen. “We saw that there was hardly any distancing. Distancing should be one meter and they should still be wearing masks and following protocols,” Atienza said.
Article continues after this advertisementViolations
The Philippine National Police has also recorded some violations of health and safety protocols since the start of the official campaign period for some candidates last week, according to its spokesperson, Police Col. Jean Fajardo.
She said that the PNP had already informed the Commission on Elections (Comelec) about the violations and if complaints needed to be filed, they would coordinate with the poll body and the Department of Health.
Candidates running for national posts kicked off their respective campaigns last week by holding proclamation rallies attended by thousands of supporters. Some conducted motorcades during which they shook hands with people lining the streets or obliged with requests for selfies—two activities banned by the Comelec in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A senatorial candidate, meanwhile, said some of the poll body’s recent regulations that require securing a permit and many other prerequisites for in-person campaigning contradicted the spirit of election laws.
Too strict
“While we understand that certain safeguards are needed due to the pandemic, the Comelec rules are too tedious and stringent so as to discourage people from participating in our democratic exercise,” Bayan Muna chair Neri Colmenares said in a statement.
He was reacting to the poll body’s warning that labor leader and presidential candidate Leody de Guzman could face disqualification for failing to get a permit from the regional Comelec campaign committee in Metro Manila for any mode of in-person campaign, including his proclamation rally at Bantayog ng mga Bayani monument in Quezon City on Feb. 8.
Colmenares said the new regulations would give “politically compromised entities” like local governments, the police and military “the power to dictate where and when campaigns can be conducted, giving pro-administration bets an undue advantage.”
The poll body earlier reminded candidates and political parties that all those attending campaign rallies should wear face shields over face masks. It also banned them from taking selfies, including making physical contact with the public regardless of the alert level classification in areas they were visiting.
“The Comelec should give these regulations an overhaul, as these only make campaigning and reaching out to constituents doubly difficult,” Colmenares said.
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