PRESS RELEASE:

DTI to sellers: No increases in the prices of basic goods

“There will be no increases in the prices of all basic necessities, whether in the physical stores or in
the internet, while price freeze is in effect throughout the country,” a trip artite directive of the
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Agriculture (DA), and Department of Health
(DOH).
Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 2020-01 issued on 18 March 2020 reiterates the
implementation of a nationwide price freeze on all agricultural and manufactured basic goods,
essential medicines, and other medical supplies following the declaration of a State of Public
Health Emergency and a State of Calamity last 08 and 16 March 2020, respectively.
The DTI, DA, and DOH signed said JMC pursuant to Section 6 of the Price Act (Republic Act No.
7581), as amended by RA 10623, which states that whenever there is a declaration of a state of
emergency, calamity, or other similar conditions, prices of basic necessities shall be frozen at
their prevailing prices for sixty (60) days or until sooner lifted by the President.
On the difference to an earlier announcement of a nationwide price freeze, DTI Secretary Ramon M.
Lopez clarified that, “The JMC further enhances our existing measures for ensuring sellers’
compliance with the price freeze of basic goods. The Circular does not distinguish between an
individual seller and a business entity, or if they are operating in either physical or virtual stores.
We made it very clear that as long as you are selling any basic good to the public, you must strictly
abide by the price freeze. We have likewise intensified the monitoring and enforcement powers of
our agencies through the creation of composite teams that would prevent and control any incident
of overpricing/profiteering, hoarding, and cartel observed in the market.”
For better coordination on the ground, the DTI, DA, and DOH will also be fully mobilizing the Local
Price Coordinating Councils (LPCCs) of the local government through the Department of Interior and
Local Government (DILG).
The price freeze shall remain in effect for the next sixty (60) days from the later declaration of a
State of Calamity on 16 March 2020 or until 15 May 2020. However, should the effects of the
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) continue to persist thereafter, the DTI, DA, and DOH may
recommend to the President the imposition of a Mandated Price Ceiling on
basic goods.
Any person or entity found to have violated the price freeze may face a fine ranging between Five
Thousand Pesos (P5,000.00) and Two Million Pesos (P2,000,000.00) and imprisonment of not less
than five (5) years up to 15 years. This is without prejudice to the prescribed penalties and sanctions
in relevant ordinances issued by the local government units.
Basic goods that are under the jurisdiction of the DTI include canned fish and other marine
products, locally manufactured instant noodles, bottled water, bread, processed milk, coffee,
candles, laundry and detergent soap, and salt.
The DA covers basic agricultural goods such as rice, corn, cooking oil, fresh, dried and other
marine products, fresh eggs, fresh pork, beef and poultry meat, fresh milk, fresh vegetables, root
crops, sugar, and fresh fruits.
Essential drugs and other medical devices are under the DOH while firewood and charcoal for the
DENR. Household LPG and kerosene, on the other hand, are under the DOE.
Consumers are enjoined to report business establishments that sell basic necessities beyond the
frozen prevailing prices by calling the One-DTI (1-384) Hotline or by sending an email to
ConsumerCare@dti.gov.ph. --END
DTI to cosumers: Report business establishments selling overpriced basic goods
https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1036843
By Susan G. De Leon
Published on March 21, 2020
CALOOCAN CITY, March 21 (PIA)--The Department of Trade & Industry enjoins consumers to report
business establishments that sell basic necessities beyond the frozen prevailing prices during the
imposed state of calamity by calling the One-DTI (1-384) Hotline or by sending an email to
ConsumerCare@dti.gov.ph
“There will be no increases in the prices of all basic necessities, whether in the physical stores or in
the internet, while price freeze is in effect throughout the country,” a tripartite directive of the
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Agriculture (DA), and Department of Health
(DOH).
Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 2020-01 issued on 18 March 2020 reiterates the
implementation of a nationwide price freeze on all agricultural and manufactured basic goods,
essential medicines, and other medical supplies following the declaration of a State of Public
Health Emergency and a State of Calamity last 08 and 16 March 2020, respectively.
The DTI, DA, and DOH signed said JMC pursuant to Section 6 of the Price Act (Republic Act No.
7581), as amended by RA 10623, which states that whenever there is a declaration of a state of
emergency, calamity, or other similar conditions, prices of basic necessities shall be frozen at their
prevailing prices for sixty (60) days or until sooner lifted by the President.
On the difference to an earlier announcement of a nationwide price freeze, DTI Secretary Ramon M.
Lopez clarified that, “The JMC further enhances our existing measures for ensuring sellers’
compliance with the price freeze of basic goods. The Circular does not distinguish between an
individual seller and a business entity, or if they are operating in either physical or virtual stores. We
made it very clear that as long as you are selling any basic good to the public, you must strictly
abide by the price freeze. We have likewise intensified the monitoring and enforcement powers of
our agencies through the creation of composite teams that would prevent and control any incident
of overpricing/profiteering, hoarding, and cartel observed in the market.”
For better coordination on the ground, the DTI, DA, and DOH will also be fully mobilizing the Local
Price Coordinating Councils (LPCCs) of the local government through the Department of Interior and
Local Government (DILG).
The price freeze shall remain in effect for the next sixty (60) days from the later declaration of a
State of Calamity on 16 March 2020 or until 15 May 2020. However, should the effects of the
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) continue to persist thereafter, the DTI, DA, and DOH may
recommend to the President the imposition of a Mandated Price Ceiling on basic goods.
Any person or entity found to have violated the price freeze may face a fine ranging between Five
Thousand Pesos (P5,000.00) and Two Million Pesos (P2,000,000.00) and imprisonment of not less
than five (5) years up to 15 years. This is without prejudice to the prescribed penalties and sanctions
in relevant ordinances issued by the local government units.
Basic goods that are under the jurisdiction of the DTI include canned fish and other marine
products, locally manufactured instant noodles, bottled water, bread, processed milk, coffee,
candles, laundry and detergent soap, and salt.
The DA covers basic agricultural goods such as rice, corn, cooking oil, fresh, dried and other marine
products, fresh eggs, fresh pork, beef and poultry meat, fresh milk, fresh vegetables, root crops,
sugar, and fresh fruits.
Essential drugs and other medical devices are under the DOH while firewood and charcoal for the
DENR. Household LPG and kerosene, on the other hand, are under the DOE. (DTI/PIA-NCR)
Source: pia.gov.ph

DA to expand price freeze for agri commodities

http://www.da.gov.ph/da-to-expand-price-freeze-for-agri-commodities/
19 March 2020

In line with the implementation of the price freeze following the declaration of a nationwide state
of calamity, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is considering an expanded list of suggested retail
price (SRP) of agricultural products, Secretary William D. Dar said on Thursday.

“The rationale in expanding the SRP is the actual situation in the market,” Secretary Dar said, noting
that the agency has been reviewing price data for the past three months.

Under Republic Act 7581, or the Price Act, the DA has the power to implement a suggested retail
price anytime “for the information and guidance of producers, manufacturers, traders, dealers,
sellers, retailers and consumers.”

Secretary Dar said that they are still firming up recommendations for expanded SRP, which will be
discussed with the National Price Coordinating Council “in due time”.

If approved, the DA chief said that they may include more agriculture products to the list and
expand their monitoring activities outside of Metro Manila.

“We want to ensure that essential goods would remain affordable for more people,” he said.

For now, Dar said that the agriculture department will continue to enhance the implementation of
the current SRP scheme for agriculture and fishery commodities in line with the announcement of
price freeze on basic commodities due to COVID-19 calamity.

At present, the SRP on agricultural products covers the following food items and applicable only to
markets in Metro Manila. The suggested retail price for basic goods are as follows under a
February 20 circular of the DA:

• Pork (pigue/kasim) – P190

• Chicken (whole, dressed) – P130

• Sugar (raw, brown) – P45

• Sugar (refined) – P50

• Bangus (cage-cultured) – P162

• Tilapia (pond-cultured) – P120

• Galunggong (imported) – P130

• Garlic (fresh, imported) – P70

• Garlic (fresh, local) – P120

• Red onion (fresh, imported) – P95

Under the Joint Memorandum Circular of the DA, Department of Trade and Industry, and the
Department of Health, the price freeze covers all persons, including those who sell through the
internet or other media. In the memorandum, implementing agencies can also recommend a price
ceiling for basic commodities “should the existence or effects of COVID-19 continue to persist
beyond the 60-day period.”

The agencies warned that any person or entity found violating the Price Act will be fined between
P5,000 and P2 million and face imprisonment between five and 15 years. Secretary Dar also
appealed to the public to report all major concerns, including profiteering, problems at checkpoints
and queries about the SRP. They may call hotline numbers 09511443233, 0921-748-8537, and 0949-
752-3638.

DTI orders nationwide price

freeze amid coronavirus
emergency
Retailers are not allowed to raise prices of basic goods for 60 days

Published 4:10 PM, March 12, 2020

Updated 1:43 AM, March 13, 2020

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Thursday, March
12, imposed a nationwide price freeze on basic necessities amid the spread of the novel
coronavirus.

"The DTI is closely coordinating with other government agencies, manufacturers, and
retailers of basic goods to ensure availability and continuous supply in the market," said
Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez.

"Retailers are reminded that there should be no price movement on these goods while
the price freeze is in effect." (READ: Novel coronavirus: What makes an outbreak a
pandemic?)

Basic goods that are under the jurisdiction of the DTI include canned fish and other
marine products, locally manufactured instant noodles, bottled water, bread, processed
milk, coffee, candles, laundry soap and detergent, and salt.
The Department of Agriculture will monitor prices of basic agricultural goods such as
rice, corn, cooking oil, marine products, fresh eggs, fresh meat (pork, beef, and poultry),
fresh milk, fresh vegetables, root crops, sugar, and fresh fruits.

Essential drugs are under the Department of Health, while firewood and charcoal are
monitored by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Household
liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and kerosene are under the Department of Energy.

"All these basic goods are placed under price freeze for 60 days with the exception of
household LPG and kerosene whose prices shall be frozen for 15 days only as provided
in the Amended Price Act or [Republic Act No.] 10623," the DTI said.

Trade Undersecretary Ruth Castelo also assured the public that they continue to
intensify monitoring of the prices of basic goods in the market, including face masks.

Business establishments found to have violated the price freeze would face a fine
ranging from P5,000 to P1 million, and imprisonment up to 10 years.

https://www.rappler.com/business/254263-dti-orders-nationwide-price-freeze-coronavirus-
emergency

PRIMER ON THE PRICE ACT (REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7581, AS

AMENDED BY R.A. 10623)
By: pnl | October 9, 2018 in  Corporate and Investments,  Criminal Law
https://pnl-law.com/blog/primer-on-the-price-act-republic-act-no-7581-as-amended-by-r-a-
10623/

The Price Act (Republic Act No. 7581, as amended by R.A. 10623) fleshes out the State’s policy to
ensure the availability of basic necessities and prime commodities at reasonable prices at all times
without denying legitimate business a fair return on investment, as well as the policy to provide
effective and sufficient protection to consumers against hoarding, profiteering and cartels with
respect to the supply, distribution, marketing and pricing of said goods, especially during periods of
calamity, emergency, widespread illegal price manipulation and other similar situations.

What are considered “basic necessities”?

These are goods vital to the needs of consumers for their sustenance and existence in times of any
of the cases which triggers Automatic Price Control or requires the imposition of Mandated Price
Ceiling. These commodities include, but not limited to:

 Rice, corn, root crops, bread

 Fresh, dried or canned fish and other marine products
 Fresh pork, beef and poultry meat
  Fresh eggs
 Potable water in bottles and containers
 Fresh and processed milk
 Fresh vegetables and fruits
 Locally manufactured instant noodles
 Coffee
 Sugar
 Cooking oil
 Salt
 Laundry soap and detergents
 Firewood
 Charcoal
 Household liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and kerosene
 Candles
 Drugs classified as essential by the Department of Health
 Such other goods as may be included under the mechanism established by the Price Act.

What are considered “prime commodities”?

These are goods not considered as basic necessities but are essential to consumers in times of any
of the cases which triggers Automatic Price Control or requires the imposition of Mandated Price
Ceiling. These commodities include, but not limited to:

 Flour
 Dried, processed or canned pork, beef and poultry meat
 Dairy products not falling under basic necessities
 Onions, garlic, vinegar, patis, soy sauce
 Toilet soap
 Fertilizer, pesticides and herbicides
 Poultry, livestock and fishery feeds and veterinary products
 Paper
 School supplies
 Nipa shingles
 Sawali
 Cement
 Clinker
 GI sheets
 Hollow blocks
 Plywood
 Plyboard
 Construction nails
  Batteries
 Electrical supplies
 Light bulbs
 Steel wire
 All drugs not classified as essential drugs by the Department of Health
 Such other goods as may be included under the mechanism established by the Price Act.

How is a commodity included or excluded from the coverage of the Price Act?

The implementing agency may, after a public hearing and with the approval of the President,
include or exclude any type and brand in the coverage of “basic necessities” or “prime
commodities.”. Even if a type or brand of commodity has been excluded, the implementing agency
may reinstate it during occasions of acute shortage in the supply of the basic necessity or prime
commodity to which the excluded type or brand used to belong.

What is a “buffer fund”?

A buffer fund is a contingent fund in the budget of the implementing agency which shall not be used
in its normal or regular operations but only for purposes of the Price Act. The implementing agency
may procure, purchase, import, or stockpile any basic necessity or prime commodity, devise ways
and means of distributing them for sale at reasonable prices in areas where there is shortage of
supply or a need to effect changes in its prevailing price.

What is “panic buying”?

It is the abnormal phenomenon where consumers buy basic necessities and prime commodities
grossly in excess of their normal requirement resulting in undue shortages of such goods to the
prejudice of less privileged consumers.

What is the meaning of “prevailing price”?

It means the average price at which any basic necessity has been sold in a given time within a
month from the occurrence of any of the conditions which trigger the Automatic Price Control or
require the imposition of Mandated Price Ceiling.

What Triggers an Automatic Price Control?

Unless otherwise declared by the President, prices of basic necessities in an area shall automatically
be frozen at their prevailing prices or placed under automatic price control in ANY of the following
circumstances:
1. That area is proclaimed or declared a disaster area or under a state of calamity (the terms
“disaster” and “calamity” shall include those brought about by natural or man-made causes,
whether local or foreign);

2. That area is declared under an emergency;

3. The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus is suspended in that area;

4. That area is placed under martial law;

5. That area is declared to be in a state of rebellion; or

6. A state of war is declared in that area.

If the prevailing price of any basic necessity is excessive or unreasonable, the implementing agency
may recommend to the President the imposition of a price ceiling for the sale of the basic necessity
at a price other than its prevailing price.

Unless sooner lifted by the President, price control shall remain effective for the duration of the
condition that brought it about, but not for more than 60 days.  in the case of basic necessities that
are wholly imported and deregulated under existing laws such as, but not limited to, household LPG
and kerosene, price control thereon shall remain effective for a period of not more than 15 days,
taking into consideration the current inventory or supply levels thereof.

What is a “price ceiling”?

It means the maximum price at which any basic necessity or prime commodity may be sold to  the
general public.

When and How is a Mandated Price Ceiling Imposed?

The President, upon the recommendation of the implementing agency or the Price Coordinating
Council, may impose a price ceiling on any basic necessity or prime commodity if ANY of the
following conditions so warrants:

1. The impendency, existence, or effects of a calamity;

2. The threat, existence, or effect of an emergency;

3. The prevalence or widespread acts of illegal price manipulation:

4. The impendency, existence, or effect of any event that causes artificial and unreasonable
increase in the price of the basic necessity or prime-commodity;
5. Whenever the prevailing price of any basic necessity or prime commodity has risen to
unreasonable levels.

What are the factors to be considered in fixing the Price Ceiling?

In determining the reasonable price ceiling, the following factors may be taken into consideration:

1. The average price, in the last three (3) months immediately preceding the proclamation of the
price ceiling, of the basic necessity or prime commodity under consideration;

2. The supply available in the market;

3. The cost to the producer, manufacturer, distributor or seller including but not limited to:
(a) The exchange rate of the peso to the foreign currency with which a basic necessity or prime
commodity or any component, ingredient or raw material thereof was paid for; (b) Any change in
the amortization cost of machinery brought about by any change in the exchange rate of the peso
to the foreign currency with which the machinery was bought through credit facilities; (c) Any
change in the cost of labor brought about by a change in the minimum wage; and (d) Any increase
in the cost of transporting or distributing the basic necessity or prime commodity to the area of
destination.

4. Such other factors or conditions which will aid in arriving at a just and reasonable price ceiling.

Is there a penalty for violations of price controls?

Yes. Any person who violates the Automatic Price Control or Mandated Price Ceiling may be
imprisoned for a period of not less than 1 year nor more than 10 years, or a fine of note less than
P5,000 nor P1,000,000, or both, at the discretion of the court.

Is “price manipulation” illegal?

Yes. It is unlawful for any person habitually engaged in the production, manufacture, importation,
storage, transport, distribution, sale or other methods of disposition of goods to engage in acts of
price manipulation — specifically, hoarding, profiteering, or cartel.

What is “hoarding”?

Hoarding is the undue accumulation by a person or combination of persons of any basic commodity
beyond his or their normal inventory levels or the unreasonable limitation or refusal to dispose of,
sell or distribute the stocks of any basic necessity of prime commodity to the general public or the
unjustified taking out of any basic necessity or prime commodity from the channels of reproduction,
trade, commerce and industry.
There shall be prima facie evidence of hoarding when a person has stocks of any basic necessity or
prime commodity 50% higher than his usual inventory and unreasonably limits, refuses or fails to
sell the same to the general public at the time of discovery of the excess. The determination of a
person’s usual inventory shall be reckoned from the third month immediately preceding before the
discovery of the stocks in case the person has been engaged in the business for at least 3 months;
otherwise, it shall be reckoned from the time he started his business.

What is “profiteering”?

Profiteering is the sale or offering for sale of any basic necessity or prime commodity at a price
grossly in excess of its true worth. There shall be prima facie evidence of profiteering whenever a
basic necessity or prime commodity being sold:

(a) has no price tag;

(b) is misrepresented as to its weight or measurement;

(c) is adulterated or diluted; or

(d) whenever a person raises the price of any basic necessity or prime commodity he sells or offers
for sale to the general public by more than 10% of its price in the immediately preceding month.

In the case of agricultural crops, fresh fish, fresh marine products, and other seasonal products
covered by the Price Act and as determined by the implementing agency, the prima facie provisions
shall not apply.

What is a “cartel”?

Cartel is any combination of or agreement between 2 or more persons engaged in the production,
manufacture, processing, storage, supply, distribution, marketing, sale or disposition of any basic
necessity or prime commodity designed to artificially and unreasonably increase or manipulate its
price.

There is a prima facie evidence of engaging in a cartel whenever 2 or more persons or business

enterprises competing for the same market and dealing in the same basic necessity or prime
commodity, perform uniform or complementary acts among themselves which tend to bring about
artificial and unreasonable increase in the price of any basic necessity or prime commodity or when
they simultaneously and unreasonably increase prices on their competing products thereby
lessening competition among themselves.

What is the Penalty for Illegal Price Manipulation?

Violations carry a penalty of imprisonment for a period of not less than 5 years nor more than 15
years, AND a fine of not less than P5,000 nor more than P2,000,000.
 Related Posts:

1. The Price Act (Republic Act No. 7581 – full text)

2. Republic Act No. 10623, Amending the Price Act (full text)
3. Bouncing Checks (B.P. 22): What You Need to Know

The COVID-19 pandemic brings to the fore the economic divide

https://www.bulatlat.com/2020/03/19/the-covid-19-pandemic-brings-to-the-fore-the-
economic-divide/
COVID-19 has laid bare the class contradictions in Philippine society. Not only has it exposed the private
sector for what it is – a profiteering class of capitalists, but it has also exposed the government and its
institutions for what they are – tools of the same profiteering class to ensure that they can continue profiting.

By JUSTIN UMALI
Bulatlat.com
As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Philippines grows, the Duterte administration scrambles
to figure out an appropriate response. Its latest solution is a total lockdown in the form of an “enhanced
community quarantine”, with the stated goal of stopping the movement of people.

The actual results, however, are way off the mark. Less than three days since the implementation of total
lockdown we’ve seen workers stranded and unable to go home; neglected urban poor threatened with
arrests if they don’t “go home”; local governments bungling the delivery of basic needs to their constituents.

Meanwhile, Duterte and his inter-agency task force are hard at work protecting the economic interests of big
business. A P27-billion COVID-19 budget has P14 billion allotted for “tourism and other projects”, while the
IATF’s lockdown guidelines specify no stoppage for the flow of cargo and export goods while grinding mass
transport to a halt.

We are essentially looking at a public health issue being solved through economic protection of the few and
sanctions against the poor. Instead of mass testing and sanitation programs, we get private corporations
imposing guidelines on work schedules and
leaves. Instead of a medical solution, we get an administration that’s going above and beyond to ensure that
the nation’s big enterprises remain afloat while neglecting the workers who actually keep things going.

It might seem disingenuous, but at its core, the COVID-19 pandemic is not just a public health crisis, but an
economic one as well. And for a semi-colonial, semi-feudal economy like the Philippines, one cough could
have us all spiraling into deeper crisis.

There is an almost symbiotic relationship between a nation’s economic system and the way people move
about it. We can see that when workers respond when asked why they’re still outside with, “I have to work.”
The economy is what drives people to produce, and ultimately, what pushes human behavior.

Conversely, when something restricts that behavior and that production, it’s the economy that suffers. The
Luzon-wide lockdown has killed the public transport sector and forced millions of workers and farmers to
simply stop due to quarantine. The pandemic has attacked not only our wellbeing, but our economy as well.

And it’s this attack on the economy that has laid bare the glaring flaws in its system. Our fragile set-up, with
foreign corporations, landlords, and neoliberal import-dependent-export-oriented policies, is shaking at its
unsustainable core because of the pandemic affecting every economic system’s most important element – its
people.

It has exposed the glaring contradictions between what workers care about – life, security, a chance to live;
and what employers prioritize – profit maximization, loss reduction, how to get away with not paying their
workers for one month. It is the private school insisting on collecting payments for tuition amid a crisis. It is
call center agents being forced to come to work or risk not getting paid. It is the construction worker crossing
the border between Laguna and Metro Manila, only to be turned away for not having an ID.

COVID-19 has laid bare the class contradictions in Philippine society. Not only has it exposed the private
sector for what it is – a profiteering class of capitalists, but it has also exposed the government and its
institutions for what they are – tools of the same profiteering class to ensure that they can continue
profiting.

This is why the government offers a military solution to a public health issue, or why the country’s urban poor
and informal sectors are left to moan, “The government has forgotten us”, or why it allows businesses to
remain open while forcing the tricycle drivers and jeepney operators to stop.

Of course, this crisis has existed long before COVID-19; the disease merely made it worse. But unlike COVID-
19, there is a definite cure: struggle. We are now facing a fight on two fronts: the medical one which attacks
our communities and our immune systems, and the socio-economic one which engulfs our society in an
exploitative wheel of suffering.

We must now embrace struggle in the time of COVID-19. In order to beat the public health crisis, we must
work together to provide food, water, medicine, health supplies, and support for our communities and health
workers. But in order to defeat the economic crisis, we must work harder than that.

We must strengthen our labor unions, embrace the fight for students’ rights, push for land, peace, and justice
in the countryside, remain vigilant against state fascism, arouse, organize, and mobilize the masses towards
an end to exploitation and the road to national liberation.

Only then can we rid ourselves of the virus. 

Philippines: Advance the political-social-

economic alternatives in confronting Covid-19
pandemic
http://www.europe-solidaire.org/spip.php?article52679

The Coronavirus-19 was early detected in Wuhan, China last November 2019. The
Chinese government leaders tried to manage the problem by suppressing and
withholding information from the world. However, medical workers in Wuhan, like Dr. Li
Wenliang who later died from COVID-19 as a frontline medical worker, raised the alarm
to the world in December 2019. Since then the number of cases and deaths caused by
the virus soared rapidly even beyond the borders of China and its colonies. In early
March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the covid-19 as a pandemic, since
it already affected more than a hundred countries at various scale. As of March 26, 2020
there are already more than 500,000 confirmed cases with more than 23,000 deaths
worldwide. Despite various drastic measures implemented by various governments,
there is no sign yet that the virus is slowing down.

In Europe, Italy is the hardest hit, particularly Lombardy in the northern part. Known to
be one of the richest regions in Europe with equipped hospitals and a better health care
system, Lombardy is now vastly overwhelmed by the infection. The rate of new
infections and deaths per day reach hundreds, that some observers describe the
situation as depressing and chaotic.

It is notable however that prior to the coronavirus pandemic the health care system in
Belgium, including that in Lombardy, has been attacked by neo-liberal policies such as
privatization, reduction of fund allocation and has succumbed to the dictates of
transnational corporations and pharmaceutical lobbies – like most of the health care
systems of other countries.

In other parts of the world, including the United States of America (USA), governments
are scrambling to deal with the Pandemic. While different countries, regions and
governments have different approaches and mechanisms owing to their respective
peculiar situations, but there seems a general pattern of inadequacy of response. This
inadequacy ranges from the inadequate equipment and personnel, to poor planning,
and to inefficient leadership and crisis management. This further aggravates the
situation of the most vulnerable sectors of the society.

As an immediate yet glaring impact of the Pandemic, the wide gap between the “haves”
and the “have-nots” or the rich and the poor is emphasized. While the rich may survive
for a month locked inside their gated homes, the poor and the average worker cannot
survive without social relief and assistance. The capacity to cope of a rich senior citizen
is different from that of a poor one. Those living in the subdivisions and those living in
slums differ in their access to basic services. And those multiple families living in small
cramped houses in the slum areas will not have the same luxury of observing social
distancing compared to those living in exclusive villages. These hard realities are
common across countries, and is a result of decades of neglect and marginalization.

 ‘Obey First Before You Complain’: Draconian Measures

Are Meant to Hide Ineptness
In the Philippines, prior to the confirmation of the first COVID-19 case last January 30,
2020, various sectors have already called on the government to impose safety measures
or travel restrictions from countries and foreign cities that are severely affected with the
virus. However, the government dismissed the call in order not to hurt the diplomatic
relations with China. The President then assured the people that “everything is well in
the country” and that funds are available. In a classic display of arrogance, he said in
national Television that he would “slap the virus” and that it will just die in its natural
death. The Secretary of Health even went bragging in late February that the Philippines
is a model country in containing the epidemic.

However, things began to crumble when the first local transmission of the virus was
confirmed in the first week of March. The government’s response in the beginning was
chaotic - there was no identifiable command center to specifically deal with the crisis.
Vague orders and pronouncements were given by Malacanang, only to be interpreted in
different ways by different officials. All these exposed their empty pronouncements of
readiness and their complacency.

When the President finally declared a State of National Public Health Emergency, two
(2) weeks after the recommendation of the Department of Health, it has become
apparent that the Government is dealing the health crisis using the Peace and Order
Paradigm and is ready to weaponize the law in order to compel obedience from all
government branches, units and the entire populace, and quell criticism and dissent.

Among the first marching orders of the government to implement its paradigm is the
Policy of Community Quarantine, which will be spearheaded by the Armed Forces and
the Police. The goal is to drastically limit the movements of the population, especially in
key cities. The policy was implemented by setting up check points, but are manned by
AFP and PNP personnel with insufficient protective equipment against the virus. The
people are told to stay home, and the use of private vehicles and public transportation
were suspended. This is made without any ready guidelines on some basic factors, such
as what will happen to the employment status of workers who cannot report to work?
The national government did not even consider in the beginning how the medical
frontliners will be able to report to their respective hospitals when public transport was
suspended. This made doctors and other fronliners to walk across cities to reach their
duty stations. Only upon mounting pressures on social media that these concerns were
addressed.

The Local Government Units (LGU’s) were ordered to respond amidst confusing
directives from the national government. Without immediate financial and logistical
support from the national government, local governments were forced to use their
respective calamity funds as they were threatened that any inaction will be dealt with
lawsuits. There was a buzz circling around that an unwritten order from the highest
office is “obey first before you complain, or else…”. The calamity fund of LGUs is usually
intended to be used to respond to regular occurrences every year, such as Typhoons
and to such other emergencies such as earthquakes, the Swine Flu, the Bird Flu, long
droughts and the like. With the tremendous amount that the LGUs need to spend
against COVID-19, do they still have funds to use during typhoons for the rest of the
year? It is noteworthy however that some LGU’s are relatively quick and creative in
formulating and implementing their local responses, especially those which are well-
funded.
When the national government finally organized an Inter Agency Task Force (IATF)
against COVID-19, and later on, after the President was granted with
additional/necessary powers by Congress, constituted a group to implement its
supposed National Action Plan (NAP), it is noteworthy that the Department of Health
(DOH) does not have an active role in these bodies, despite a provision in the
Administrative Code which mandates the DOH as the focal agency in a National Health
Emergency. The IATF’s most visible official is the Cabinet Secretary, who is not a medical
professional. The implementers of the NAP are all active and retired military and police
generals. The DOH is reduced to making announcements on the statistics of COVID cases
and related concerns.

The government is also controlling the flow of information regarding its response to
COVID-19. The Presidential Communication Operations Office (PCOO) required journalist
covering the epidemic to secure accreditation from them in order to be allowed passage
in the check points.

To ensure order and enforce submission of the populace, government officials and pro-
administration social media influencers kept on calling the people to “just obey” and
label those who criticize gaps in the policy as “hard-headed”. Further, threats of physical
violence, degrading punishments, and multiple law suits were made by different officials
against those who may violate the Policy. Barely two (2) weeks since the
implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine, various complaints of alleged
abuses by authorities flooded the social media. It is reported that curfew violators in a
barangay were locked up in a dog cage, which is not only an apparent Human Right
violation but also a violation of the government’s call for Social Distancing to arrest the
spread of the virus. A video also surfaced with a police officer threatening to shot
anybody who will go outside the house. The same police officer was also seen hitting by-
standers with a stick. Another report was able to document how curfew violators were
exposed to the heat of the sun for hours, in violation of the Anti-Torture Law. At least
three (3) individuals were reportedly arrested, two (2) of which without a warrant, for
posting their complaints in Social Media.

While all these things are taking the spotlight, along with the daily updates on COVID-19
victims, the root cause of all this chaos and unorganized response, which is government
complacency, is being erased from the picture. Further, legitimate concerns such as the
meager national support for the LGUs and the frontliners, the availability of the testing
kits to the mass populace, peoples’ participation, social protection and relief are
sidelined.

 Our Health Care System was Set-Up to Fail

The Philippine Healthcare System has been very sick for decades. And it has not been
receiving enough funds and attention to make it well. Tasked to serve a population of
over a hundred million, the budget of the Department of Health (DOH) for 2020 has not
received sufficient budget increase to be at par with the good health care systems in the
world. Further, salaries and incentives in government hospitals are not competitive
compared to those in private hospitals and abroad. Hence, the exodus of medical
professionals abroad.

The insufficiency of funds of the DOH is exhibited in the shortage of basic supplies in
government hospitals and its incapacity to support frontliners in private institutions. The
pictures of the frontliners circulating in social media who are using trashbags, plastics
and other make-do materials as protection against the virus mocks, though maybe
unintentionally, the government’s capacity. Moreover, it puts across a very urgent and
powerful message: our frontliners, responders, hospitals, rural health units down to the
barangay health emergency response teams are all very committed to win this fight but
they are in dire need of logistical support.

The recent call for volunteers by the DOH for hundreds of medical professionals which
will be given a daily allowance of Php 500 (9 USD) is a testament of how the system
values its workers. Further, the volunteers are required to sign a waiver exonerating the
DOH from liability should they die from COVID-19 while on duty.

While there are those who argue that now is not the time to point fingers, but calling
out gaps is not pointing fingers but ensuring accountability and demanding greater
public service in order to improve the over-all response of the country against the
Pandemic. It is true that even advanced countries are overwhelmed by this pandemic,
but countries such as Vietnam were able to better manage the virus. Thus, a country
such as ours could have handled this crisis better if not for the government’s
complacency.

Since the spread of the virus was not contained in the initial phase, the game plan of the
government to hide its shortcomings by conditioning the public that positive cases will
spike as soon as testing starts across the country. The Department of Health keeps on
repeating this to condition the whole population to just accept if the situation will go
from bad to worst in the coming days.

 The Economic and Political Elite Will Always use their

Power to Save Themselves First
As the pandemic rapidly reached the advanced countries, including the United States of
America (USA), Spain, the United Kingdom, major businesses are suddenly forced into a
sudden halt. No less than the International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief declared that we
are entering into a recession worse than in 2009. In the Philippines, humanitarian
foundations backed by big businesses has called the government to consider easing
quarantine restrictions in Luzon in order to have some economic movements to save the
business sector. This means allowing certain businesses to operate and throwing
workers into the open exposed to the virus. As history tells us, elitist governments will
always succumb to the whims of the business sector, extend bail out packages to big
business during crisis while leaving thousands, if not millions, of workers in precarious
situation and without social protection. This makes one to ask, for whom should
governmental powers primarily extend protection? For what end should this powers be
used?

As the record of positive cases in the Philippines drastically increase in just a matter of
weeks, and while people tried to stay home as ordered, political leaders and elites
shamelessly and insensitively displayed their abuse of power and privilege.

In violation of government protocols, they got themselves and their families

immediately tested for COVID-19 mostly at the comforts of their homes. This is despite
the fact that the testing kits, the manpower and the daily capacity of the system is very
limited. They announced their results in national television and in social media. The
ordinary citizen, on the other hand, must have exhibited symptoms of the disease to
qualify for a test, will have to queue and wait for four (4) to five (5) days for their result.
Some patients already expired before their results were known.

While the government is so strict in imposing check point and quarantine protocols to
the point of arresting and prosecuting violators, some political leaders blatantly
breached established protocols. Amidst the mounting pressure to prosecute these elite
violators, the government appealed for compassion during this extra-ordinary times.

As the funds of LGUs started to dwindle and the ordinary workers started to ask for food
aid, the government opted to appeal for donations and “bayanihan” instead of
immediately slashing the President’s Intelligence Fund which is in billions of pesos to
deal with the situation more swiftly.

The wealthy and the powerful will always mind their own survival in times of crisis than
to take care the workers, toiling masses and the majority population. As a camouflage,
they will keep the powerless and poor frightened into submission. As this Pandemic
shows the elite is willing to step upon the carcass of the poor and the working class just
to survive the crisis.

 The Working Class and the Marginalized Communities Will

Always Bear the Brunt
As the global economy is taking a hit by the pandemic, the working class, especially
those daily wage earners and those in the formal sectors are expected to take the most
lethal blows. The Philippines, with its mal-developed economy, is susceptible to a
collapse. The community quarantines and lockdowns means a stoppage of the flow of
subsistence income to millions of poor Filipino families. Since not less than 10 Million
Filipinos are working in advanced countries as Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), the
flow of remittances which accounts for a third of the national income is also expected to
be severely affected. This will negatively impact not just the economy as a whole but the
OFW dependents in the home country, including the emotional and psychological costs.

Bus, jeepney, taxi, tricycle and padyak drivers who earns income on a per-trip or daily
basis suddenly found themselves without any means of livelihood. They are now asking
for help to survive the duration of the suspension of all kinds of transportation.

The crisis also threatens the availability of essential food supply of the country. Due to
the enhanced quarantine protocols all over the country, the flow of food supplies and
deliveries were necessarily delayed. Fish and seafood product suppliers complained that
a longer delivery time means additional cost for fuel, product preservation cost and
other incidental expenses. In the market, there is an observed increase in the prices of
fish and corn products, among others, despite the existing price freeze order. With a
vast number of the population suddenly lost its source of income, an increase of prices
of basic necessities is unbearable.

Vegetable producers are also taking a hit. Accordingly, roughly 130,000 vegetable
farmers in Benguet, northern part of Luzon, that supply highland vegetables to different
markets nationwide, is experiencing difficulty because of the drastic drop in orders from
markets, hotels, restaurants and resorts due to the COVID-19 lockdowns.

A bigger problem for the Filipinos is the availability of rice as its staple food. Being
dependent to rice imports for years which fully culminated during the passage of the
Rice Ratification Law, the country is at the mercy of the availability of rice from other
countries who are also affected with the pandemic. With the pronouncement of
Vietnam, one of the Philippines’ top source of imported rice, that it may halt rice
exportation to secure the needs of its own population, the Philippine Government is
now scrambling to find another country as a new rice source.

The working class women also takes the brunt. A lot of hospital frontliners, health
responder teams and frontline service crews are notably women. The demands of their
respective works makes them, not just potential Covid-19 victims, but also potential
carriers of the virus. Since the prevailing set-up of economically-average heterosexual
families is that the mother takes care of the children, the burden upon the woman is
therefore multiplied. For single mothers, the situation is more complicated. Access to
healthcare is also problematic for pregnant mothers, as they are more vulnerable to the
infection when exposed.

Racism and discrimination also emerged amidst the global crisis. Ordinary Chinese
citizens are oftentimes automatically seen as COVID-19 carriers. In Mindanao, a City
attempted to close its borders to a tribe whose member got infected with COVID-19. In
USA, there are reports that Neo-Nazist planned to attack COVID-19 facilities to murder
the patients.
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) staying in evacuation camps are more
at risks. In this scenario, self-isolation and social distancing is impossible. Access to
services in evacuation camps is usually limited.

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reported that people trapped
in unhealthy dirty camps at entry points for asylum seekers, and refugees in the islands
of Greece, are highly at risk for coronavirus transmission.

In America, the US government decided to block asylum proceedings and closed the US-
Mexico border. Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) documented
that since 2019, the US has sent tens of thousands of asylum seekers to Mexico to await
for their asylum proceedings in some of the most dangerous parts of the country. Many
of these asylum seekers have created makeshift camp in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, a city
on the US-Mexico border, right next to the international bridge. MSF added that the
camps are unacceptable, with limited sanitation and access to health services—a
situation which heightens the risk for COVID-19 transmission.

In Mindanao, there are still thousands of IDPs in temporary shelters due to the Marawi
Siege and Mindanao Earthquakes. Also, there are Indigenous Peoples being displaced by
armed encounters in Surigao del Sur, Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat. The lockdowns
added burden to their already difficult situation. Further, their cramped and sorry
situation is a potential risk for a rapid COVID-19 infection.

 The Working People will Save the World from the

Pandemic – Not the Elite
As the pandemic is sweeping across countries, it is the working class people that is at
the forefront of the fight. They are the medical professionals and workers, the scientists,
the rescue groups, the community volunteers, the ordinary members of the police,
army, fire fighters and barangay peace keeping forces, the delivery personnel, the
journalists, the food producers, the janitors and garbage collectors, the front line service
crews, grocery store attendants and market vendors, among others. They are the ones
putting their lives at risks while enduring the physical, emotional and psychological
fatigues in combating the pandemic so we may all survive.

In the Philippines, at least nine (9) frontline health workers and medical experts have
died due to COVID-19, while at least a thousand more are in quarantine. At the
community level, barangay health workers and volunteers, with or without protective
equipment, have to deal with the Persons Under Monitoring (PUM) and Persons Under
Investigation (PUI). Local volunteers from various institutions also risk being exposed to
the virus just to deliver essential goods to the house hold level in areas under lockdown
and to hospital dealing with COVID-19 patients.
Since the pandemic is foreseen to take months before it can be effectively contained,
our food producers should be amply protected and supported to ensure continues
production of food supply. Their continued activity is vital to our ability to sustain the
fight.

When we survive this pandemic, may our common experience teach us that the working
class can take control of its future and save humanity.

 Solidarity and Struggle is a Social Responsibility

The unfolding crisis is showing us that relying upon an elitist government to save us is
akin to suicide. As proven by history in many historical junctures, the working people
needs to self-organize, mobilize, assert and extend solidarity to one another in order to
survive.

In this crisis, compounded by strict rules on social mobility, the ways to organize, assert
and extend solidarity may be done through the use of technology. The pressure which
compelled the DOH to rethink their policy in hiring medical volunteers was done with
the aid of exiting communication technologies.

Using communications technology, people can exchange knowledge and wisdom on

boosting immune systems and health care methods to ensure the health of the elderly,
the pregnant and all that are at risk. The Indigenous Peoples, as well as the community
people, are rich with knowledge and wisdom in this field.

Open online discussions as to how best to develop alternatives and put forward
improvements to the present government paradigm must also be done. This will ensure
that abuses are still checked, officials are held accountable and the people has
remaining open avenues to participate. Further, this remains an effective venue to
criticize the prevailing social, economic and political order and expose its inherent
characteristics that contributed to the spread of the virus.

At the community level, people can initiate controlled exchanges and sharing of
resources such as sanitation materials, food, medicine, water and even shelter for the
homeless. Organized communities are also much more capable of surviving this crisis.

 Humanity is at the Crossroads: Ecocide or Ecological

Future?
Experts have claimed that the past and present epidemics and pandemics are
manifestations of a damaged environment. For centuries, human beings exploited the
environment with insatiable greed for profit. Human activities created situations and
conditions for viruses to evolve and mutate into other forms that human antibodies
cannot fight. These activities are mining, logging, mono-cropping, agro-industry,
employment of petro-chemicals, reliance to fossil-fuel energy source, among others.
Scholars contend, that unless the framework of environmental exploitation for profit is
not abandoned, the destruction of the environment would become irreversible.

With the sudden stoppage of mega factories, vehicle traffic and air flights it is
observable that there was also a drastic decline of air pollution and a betterment of air
quality. The Earth looks refreshed. This only goes to prove that essentially it is human
activity that is causing imbalance in the environment.

The pandemic is forcing human beings to prioritize what is essential for the sustenance
of life and of civilization. We are forced to plan and prioritize travel, consumption and
goods distribution, and we learn that we can live without the luxuries. It is therefore
high-time for humans to look back at how people live and produced in the past in order
to re-learn how our society will survive without destroying Earth and its finite resources,
and human life itself as we know it. In this, the life and culture of Indigenous Peoples
will be of great help.

This is the urgent call for all today. Should we continue to live under the present system
or should we start building now our alternative? Would we settle for a society that
promotes ecocide or do we build an ecological future? The situation is no longer a drill,
as the threat is here and now. We have to decide.

 What can be done?

The working people around the world must rely on their own power. Hence, never stop
organizing sectors for their political and economic empowerment and strengthen
People to People cooperation, Community, Class and International Solidarity.

Let us continue to Share and Exchange knowledge, skills and wisdom in improving
immune systems using available resources in the communities, essential food and
medicine preparations. Let us also promote sharing of seeds for urban and rural
gardening among peoples to dismantle the seed-control of multi-national corporations.
This will help promote, support and practice Sustainable, Ecological and Natural
Agriculture and production

Communities can organize Health and Emergency groups, and Paralegal and Human
Rights bodies for their mutual aid and protection.

Allied medical experts and scientists can also elevate the discussions on the Pandemic as
part of the over-all Climate Change problem. This can help promote participation in
Climate Justice Actions

Rally unity across sectors and borders by promoting that the pandemic is calls for a
global response.

Rally behind our frontliners. Let us call for the availability and accessibility of free health
care services and prioritize a pandemic-resilient medical research.
Let us call for Mass and accessible Testing for all particularly the frontliners and the
most vulnerable sectors. Let us call for public access for all of any vaccine and medicine
that may be developed against the pandemic. This is in order to counter multi-national
pharmaceutical corporations from monopolizing and profiting from any discovery.

Call for continued and wider social protection and relief to all workers, of any
categorization, as well as to all economically vulnerable sectors of the society.

Reinvigorate the call for the scrapping of Laws which contributed to the sufferings of the
mass populace in the midst of the Pandemic, such as the Rice Ratification Law