The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a new strain of

coronavirus. This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in
Wuhan, China, in December 2019.

On 30 January 2020, the Philippine Department of Health reported the first case of
COVID-19 in the country with a 38-year-old female Chinese national. On 7 March, the
first local transmission of COVID-19 was confirmed. At that point, there had been no
deaths linked to the virus. But that soon changed.

Within weeks, the number of fatalities was rising rapidly, and Metro Manila became the
epicenter of global coronavirus concerns in the country.

Thus, the growing threat of the COVID-19 health emergency the following measures
must strictly implemented across the country, to wit:

1. Three (3) months long Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).

Warnings about coronavirus from stay home, wash your hands, and cancel social
gatherings have been really largely accepted measures in battling this virus
during the period of ECQ. Under this ECQ the movement of the population is
restricted with exceptions, in response to the growing COVID-19 in the country.
Additional lockdown restrictions be mandated for the temporary closure of non-
essential shops and businesses.

2. Restrictions on the people's movement.

Under the ECQ setup, mass gatherings are must be completely prohibited and all
means of public transport is no longer allowed limiting the movement of people.
All schools in all levels are temporarily prohibited to conduct classes and
activities. Thus, "work from home" scheme should be applied all workers
regardless of their status.

The populace's movement is restricted to their homes and they can only go
outside to just buy basic needs such as food, medicines and other things needed
for sustenance.

3. Temporary Closure of establishments.

Financial institutions such as bank and money transfer services and utility
providers are also not barred to open and those industries who act as Business
Process Outsourcing or call centers as well as export-oriented industries are also
allowed to continue with their operations as long as they observe social
distancing protocols, temporary shelter for their employees within three (3)
months long ECQ, and keep up with a skeletal workforce.
4. Travel restrictions within the Country.

Traveling through air, sea and land is restricted only to diplomats, uniformed
workers (especially those who travel with medical supplies, specimens from the
laboratory in relation to COVID-19), and those who do humanitarian
work. People who are going outside the Philippines through Luzon are only
limited to Overseas Filipino Workers and foreigners; and they must be escorted
by only one person .

Public transport services must shut down, including buses, railways, flights, and
ferries. In Metro Manila, the airport, railway station and metro transit system
must be closed too and no one could leave the city without permission.

Soon after, the doors to government offices, private offices, and schools also must
be closed for three (3) months. And authorities used popular social platforms and
apps to monitor movement, with a green, yellow and red traffic-light system on
people’s mobile phones helping officials determine if the user should be allowed
past guards and other checkpoints.

5. Mass Testing Capacity Nation Wide.

A response that scales up health capacity for testing, tracing, quarantine and
treatment, while keeping first responders safe, combined with measures to restrict
movement and contact.

A response that delivers nationwide access to know status for the immediate
treatment, when found positive of this pandemic

It is essential to bolster country’s health systems and its response capacity to stop
transmission.

Otherwise we face the nightmare of the disease spreading like wildfire in the global
South with millions of deaths and the prospect of the disease re-emerging where it
was previously suppressed.

Economic Response and Recovery from COVID-19 Pandemic

Some experts said that recovery from the COVID-19 crisis must lead to a different
economy.

Everything we do during and after this crisis must be with a strong focus on building
more equal, inclusive and sustainable economies and societies that are more resilient
in the face of pandemic. What we need now is solidarity. With solidarity we can
defeat the virus and build a better country. We must respond decisively,
innovatively and together to suppress the spread of the virus and address the socio-
economic devastation that COVID-19 is causing in all regions.

And to support our efforts, the Philippines must establish a new multi-partner Trust
Fund for COVID19 Response and Recovery to support low and middle-income to
respond to the emergency and recover from the socio-economic shock. 

We must tackle the devastating social and economic dimensions of this crisis, with a
focus on the most affected: women, older persons, youth, low-wage workers, small
and medium enterprises, the informal sector and vulnerable groups, especially those
in humanitarian and conflict settings.

We must see it not only united to beat the virus but also to tackle its profound
consequences. That means designing fiscal and monetary policies able to support the
direct provision of resources to support workers and households, the provision of
health and unemployment insurance, scaled up social protection, and support to
businesses to prevent bankruptcies and massive job losses.