FILE PHOTO: Former presidential adviser for entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — It appears that the Philippines has already entered a ‘phase of acceptance’ in managing the COVID-19 pandemic, former presidential adviser for entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion said.
In a statement on Friday, Concepcion said he thinks Filipinos have now learned how to live with and manage the risks brought by the pandemic.
“I call it a phase of acceptance; I believe it has started and that we will have to live with the risks of the virus still being around,” he said.
The Philippines has encountered spikes in COVID-19 cases, but none of the surges have forced the government into hard lockdowns. The last time the country enforced stricter measures against the movement was during the surge last January 2022, fueled by the more infectious Omicron variant.
Last June, the Department of Health (DOH) said COVID-19 cases were rising, but a surge can be prevented. Since then, infections have decreased, except for the recent uptick observed in Metro Manila.
READ: COVID-19 cases rising but surge still preventable – DOH
READ: Metro Manila COVID-19 positivity rate up again at 16.4 percent — DOH
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has maintained that his administration will try its best to refrain from enforcing lockdowns, as these could prove harmful to the country.
READ: No more lockdowns despite rising COVID cases, Marcos vows
Recently, the President issued Executive Order No. 3, which permits the voluntary wearing of face masks outdoors in uncrowded situations. The move has prompted doctors to warn against complacency, as the country may see more COVID-19 cases, especially with face-to-face classes resuming.
However, infectious diseases expert Dr. Benjamin Co also said the country could not just wait for everyone to care for their health.
“We cannot protect everyone all the time. I guess we have already provided everyone with the tools to prevent, diagnose and treat COVID-19. The next move is ours on an individual basis,” Co said.
He also warned that COVID-19 cases might be going down globally not because people have been immune but because people are not testing themselves as frequently during the early part of the pandemic.
“The sixth stage is the final journey after acceptance – finding meaning,” Co said. “With lives upended by the pandemic … it really is difficult to get back to the way it was. We will never be the same anytime soon. Yet we need to be.”
Meanwhile, Concepcion said that after two years into the pandemic, Filipinos should now be aware of how the pandemic can be managed, noting that people should be more responsible.
“Doctors advise us on how we should handle Covid, but in the end, we make the choice. We suffer the consequences of our wrong decisions in life; this is no different,” he said.
“The world has started moving on; let’s not be the last to accept this fact,” he added.