PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
President Rodrigo Duterte was not downplaying the Covid-19 pandemic, even though he had referred to it as a small thing, Malacañang said on Tuesday.
In a virtual presser, Palace spokesman Harry Roque said the government had lamented how the pandemic disrupted Filipinos’ lives.
“Siyempre po kinalulungkot natin iyong mga nawalan ng trabaho, iyong mga namatay,” he said.
“Ang sinasabi po ng presidente ay patuloy naman pong ang Pilipinas ay nabubuhay sa kabila ng Covid-19,” he added.
Duterte on Monday said the country had been through worse and that the pandemic was only a “small thing.”
“I will just say to my countrymen that do not despair. Kaya natin ito[ng] Covid na ito. Maliit na bagay ito sa buhay natin. Marami tayong dinaanan mas ano, mas grabe, mas mahirap,” he said.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros slammed Duterte for his remark.
“Maling mali sabihin ng Presidente na maliit lamang na bagay ito. Patuloy na dumadagdag ang ating utang para dito sa Covid response…. Hindi na maliit na bagay,” she said.
“Kung gusto niya talaga palakasin ang loob ng Pilipino, napakaraming kailangan pang gawin, at ayusin at iwasto, isang taon na mula sa simula ng pandemya,” she added.
Roque said the president was merely trying to lift Filipinos up with his statement.
“Ang sinasabi naman ni presidente, temporary lang po iyon, hindi po iyan forever, lilipas din po iyan; at pagdating po ng bakuna, magkakaroon nga tayo ng solusyon sa ating problema, magkakaroon tayo ng new normal,” he said.
“So hindi po minamaliit ng ating presidente ang ating paghihirap. Pero ang sinasabi po niya ay babangon naman po tayo diyan; we will heal as one,” he added.
The country has recorded 631,320 Covid-19 cases as of March 16. John Ezekiel J. Hirro