AFP: No militarization of COVID-19 response

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Gilbert Gapay has assured the public that there is no militarization of the government’s COVID-19 response, only more visible troops to help in the pandemic efforts.

Gapay said the AFP has been actively involved in containing and addressing the coronavirus disease in many aspects, including increased soldier visibility.

“Our soldiers are very visible, but it doesn’t mean that this is militarization. You see, we are very organized, wellequipped, and well-experienced when it comes to addressing not only pandemics

but other calamities and disasters that have hit our country in the past,” he said in a mix of Filipino and English in an interview over the weekend on CNN.

Some sectors have criticized the supposedly militaristic approach of the administration towards the public health emergency.

Gapay thumbed down this criticism, and said soldiers have been helping out at the forefront, including manning quarantine checkpoints, providing transport services, aid distribution, and even manning quarantine facilities.

He noted that it is part of the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response operations, or HADR, of the AFP that have always been part of its mandate. The AFP has also deployed doctors, nurses and other medical personnel to some quarters.

Gapay also welcomed President Duterte’s marching order for the AFP to be at the forefront of distribution once a vaccine for COVID-19 becomes available.

MECQ effect

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año has expressed confidence that the number of COVID-19 cases will dwindle after the two-week modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) imposed over Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

“I believe this week we will feel its effects. Within this week those cases will slowly go down,” he told reporters in a mix of Filipino and English.

However, Año said that the MECQ is not the ultimate solution for the pandemic, but the government is doing all interventions to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.

He said the decision to lift the MECQ will still be up to President Duterte, even as the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said he is not inclined towards another extension.

Año added that it is important to focus on the implementation of the MECQ for prevention of new cases, instead of focusing on the numbers.

The Philippines has recorded several consecutive days wherein the number of cases was up from at least 3,000.

He said the government is working to increase healthcare capacity, while also providing aggressing isolation intervention and contact tracing for positive cases.

Año added that they have deployed teams down to the barangay level to check the implementation of lockdown, and extract positive cases from home quarantine.

The DILG chief noted that the MECQ has helped in the easier implementation of contact tracing as people have been forced to stay home.

He urged the public to continue observing health protocols, such as physical distancing and wearing of masks, to stop the further transmission of the novel coronavirus.

Año clarified that face shields are only mandatory in public transport and some establishments.

This was the question posed by Archdiocese of Manila (RCAM) Apostolic Administrator Broderick Pabillo in his homily during a mass aired over Church-run Radio Veritas yesterday morning, when he pointed out the government’s poor response to stem the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

It has been reported that the Philippines now has the worst COVID-19 outbreak among Southeast Asian countries, dislodging Indonesia from the top spot.

As of Aug. 8, the Philippines reportedly has a total of 126,885 COVID-19 cases compared to Indonesia that has 121,226 cases.