Discrimination vs COVID-19 patients, frontliners now illegal in Manila
MANILA, Philippines — Those who will discriminate against patients with coronavirus disease, people suspected to have infection and frontliners will now be penalized in Manila City.
The city government of Manila passed the Anti COVID-19 Discrimination Ordinance of 2020, which prohibits any act that “causes stigma, disgrace, shame, humiliation, harassment or otherwise discriminating against” COVID-19 patients, persons under investigation and persons under monitoring.
“Since the emergence of COVID-19, we have seen instances of public stigmatization among persons who have contracted the disease including PUIs and PUMs and the rise of harmful stereotypes... Stigmatization could drive people to hide the illness to avoid discrimination and prevent people from seeking health care immediately and discourage them from adopting healthy behaviors,” the ordinance read.
The ordinance will likewise punish any public officer who refuses to give assistance to PUIs, PUMs and healthcare workers who intend to return to their places of residence.
Those who will publicly claim, post on social media or announce that a person is infected or suspected to have COVID-19 will be also held liable.
Violators of the ordinance will be fined P5,000 or face imprisonment of up to six months or both. Maximum penalty will be imposed if the offender is a public officer.
Police units across the country were ordered to provide assistance and security to healthcare workers after there were reports of hospital staff suffering abuse and harassment amid panic over COVID-19 infections.
The new coronavirus has so far infected 2,633 people in the Philippines—107 of whom have died. There are additional 1,154 PUIs and 6,321 PUMs.
Photo shows members of the Philippine National Police deployed in Manila amid COVID-19 threat. The STAR/Edd Gumban
President Rodrigo Duterte on March 16, 2020 declares an enhanced community quarantine over all of mainland Luzon, an expansion of an earlier general community quarantine over the National Capital Region.
The entire National Capital Region—16 cities and a municipality—is under community quarantine from March 15 to April 14, which means the enforcement of social distancing measures like letting fewer people on public transportation, reduced store hours, and the possibiity of curfews.
According to a memorandum issued by the Palace on Saturday, March 14, the quarantine means that "movement of people shall be limited to accessing basic necessities and work; and uniformed personnel and quarantine officers shall be present at border points."
Travel restrictions in and out of the capital will also be implemented.
A labor group says another lockdown will never resolve rising COVID-19 cases in the Philippines after the government announced that Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan and Rizal are placed under the enhanced community quarantine starting Monday.
“The Duterte government seems to be deliberate in focusing its efforts in imposing quarantine and lockdown measures instead of addressing the rising cases of COVID-19 and the worsening state of the pandemic through medical solutions and scientific approach,” says Defend Jobs Philippines.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque says the implementation of enhanced community quarantine is meant to slow down the increase of COVID-19 cases, so hospitals and health workers will not be overwhelmed.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque announces that Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan and Rizal are placed under enhanced community quarantine starting Monday, March 29.
Tuguegarao City will be placed under enhanced community quarantine from January 20 to 29 due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the city.
Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba approved the request of Tuguegarao Mayor Jefferson Soriano to place the city under ECQ for 10 days.
According to the Cagayan Provincial Information Office, the city currently has 246 active cases.
BREAKING NEWS | ENERO 19, 2021 RIATF INAPRUBAHAN NA ANG PAGSASAILALIM SA TUGUEGARAO CITY SA 10-ARAW NA...
Posted by Cagayan Provincial Information Office on Tuesday, 19 January 2021
Batangas, one of the provinces hardest hit by the novel coronavirus, has reported no new cases of the disease for two consecutive days.
The provincial DOH Office says the number of COVID-19 cases in the province stood at 91 with no new cases as of Wednesday afternoon.
Lipa City has the most cases with 26, followed by Batangas City (21) and Nasugbu (11).
Tanauan City has the fourth most cases with eight, followed by Bauan (5) and Alitagtag (3). Cuenca and Sto. Tomas City had two cases each, while the municipalities of Calaca, Lemery, Lian, Lobo, Mabini, Mataas na Kahoy, Padre Garcia, San Jose, San Juan, San Pascual and Taal had one case each, respectively. — The Filipino Connection
- Latest
- Trending
