Duterte's Mishandling of the Pandemic Ignites Justifiable Outrage

 

Dear President Rodrigo Duterte,

  As Filipino youth, the way you lead this country makes me very frustrated and furious. It is known that health and safety should be our priority in this time of crisis, but it is obvious to people that you have failed to resolve this. The government remains careless seen with the lack of clear plans and medical solutions. At the same time, the number of Covid-19 cases is a reflection that poverty is still very rampant today as only few privileged people can get their health examined while other Filipino masses do not get enough food supplies and other basic services, such as access to public health. Moreover, the transmission of the virus will still be difficult to monitor because there is still no call for free mass testing for PYIs, PUMs, frontline health workers, and communities with reported cases. It seems to me that the government's priority is misplaced. It's not the health and safety of the people, but the killing of our freedom led by your administration. Who would even sign an anti-terrorism bill into law when we are in the midst of a dangerous pandemic? This is obviously a breach of human rights, anyone can be prosecuted and no one would be free to criticize the government.

Now that this new normal education is ongoing, I believe that it is best to take this school year down instead of taking it up with lack of preparedness. Little do they know, even privileged students have online class concerns, how much more to the less fortunate ones? I saw a lot of people seeking support just for their online classes on my social media accounts. It is possible that they will implement online education, but I believe that they must try to see the point of having academic freeze as this works better to those who don't afford or have no access to it. Everyone must go through with progress rather than the possibility of having physical, emotional, or mental burden. Everyone deserves proper education. I've also been seeing students who commit suicide because they cannot keep up with online classes. This has to stop and you should be the one to address it.

And also, the biggest channel we have here was ordered to shut down just because they are against by you. Imagine how petty you can get? We are in the middle of pandemic and more than 11,000 employees lost their jobs.

In conclusion, Filipinos are asking for bread, not bullets. Filipinos are challenging you and the government because it has been too incompetent. Filipinos deserve reassurance, not more burden and death threat. Filipinos deserve better. We ask for humanity, not brutality. We wish that you read this letter with an open mind and heart.

                                                                                                                                          Sincerely,

                                                                                                                                          Janea De Castro

Image Source: https://www.rappler.com/nation/video-rallies-democracy-press-freedom-sona-2020