‘Sorry, Manila,’ says president as he reinstates lockdown

Nicola Smith

THE Philippines is to reinstate a stricter lockdown on its capital, Manila, from today after warnings from medical groups over the weekend that hospitals are losing the battle against the coronavirus.

Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippine president, apologised as the number of Covid-19 cases breached 100,000 and he reintroduced a “modified enhanced community quarantine” for the capital and its outlying districts. The measure will restrict non-essential businesses and allow people to leave home only for work or to buy food.

“We’re doing our very best. Sorry, Manila,” said Mr Duterte during a televised broadcast late on Sunday.

The 106,330 case count and 2,104 death toll is second only to Indonesia in southeast Asia, despite previously imposing one of the longest and strictest quarantine periods in the world, from March 15 to June 1, bringing the economy to its knees.

The measures, which will include the need for quarantine passes in the city of 12 million and see churches close their doors again, were renewed after pressure from 80 groups representing 80,000 doctors and a million nurses, who asked for a “time out” to regroup their coronavirus strategies.

“We have witnessed a consistent rise in [the] number of infections and this, among other scenarios, prompts us to act now and act fast,” the organisations said, according to The Manila Times.

Medical workers were feeling burnt out, they added, telling the government that the country’s healthcare system had been “overwhelmed”, and that they were waging “a losing battle against Covid-19”.

Dr Maria Encarnita Limpin, vicepresident of the Philippine College of

Physicians, warned that if the infection toll continued to escalate, the healthcare system, which was the “last line of defence” in the fight against the pandemic, would fail.

“I have heard you. Don’t lose hope. We are aware that you are tired,” Mr Duterte responded on Sunday, after the Philippines recorded 5,032 additional infections, the country’s largest single-day increase.

Mr Duterte has also approved the hiring of 10,000 medical professionals to boost the current workforce and additional benefits for healthcare workers treating Covid-19 patients.

But he stopped short of reintroducing the previous hard lockdown that banned anyone aged under 21 or over 60 from going out, imposed a curfew between 10pm and 5am, and shut down all offices and transport.

The measures were devastating for the poorest communities, and the economy of the country of 107million is now facing its biggest contraction in more than three decades.

Yesterday, the Philippine College of Physicians clarified that its call for a return to a stricter quarantine was not a cry for revolt.

In an open letter, Dr Mario Panaligan, the PCP president, said that Mr Duterte’s “quick response on the matter was highly appreciated” and the help that the president had offered the medical community would “go a long way”.