ALWAYS LOOK IN TERMS OF POPULATION

People have been hawking how bad the Philippines is to be #1 of confirmed cases in Southeast Asia. We have the most confirmed cases so we must be #1:

But I think this is misleading.

We have to look at the numbers taking population in consideration. then we see a clearer picture.

If that’s the case, we are #4 in Southeast Asia. Lord help us that we are doing way better than many other countries including Italy, USA, UK and Singapore.

Admittedly, we need to do better in deaths though. We are the highest in SEA but still, by not that much. Everybody has similar ratios in SEA of less than 1.0 vs. the other more developed countries. Our recoveries need to be better too, probably indicating that our healthcare system requires improvement.

But compare it to the USA —- USA alone had 1,867 people who died yesterday, way more than our 409 deaths in total for the entire ECQ period.

With better testing, USA had 29,057 new confirmed in the same day vs. Philippines’ additional 209 cases last April 18.

No matter how the Philippine government fudges the numbers, there’s no way we could beat the USA, UK and Italy in terms of confirmed and deaths.

TO OPEN OR NOT TO OPEN? THAT IS THE QUESTION.

As to whether to extend the lockdown or not, wow, that’s a difficult choice. The choice is basically, do you value money or human lives?

There is zero comfort if one of those who die is your child or your parent. At a 5% death rate, at a 12.8 Million Metro Manila population, 640,000 people may possibly die. People say in every war, people will die. We are at war with COVID-19. But that in mind, how callously do we throw around the word “casualties in war” if those who die are people we know?

The president is speaking the truth.

Looking at the citizenry, how desperate should you be? Ang ayuda, sinasabong. They use it to buy drugs. How ungrateful the Filipinos are. We are like the Israelites who complained day and night even if there was manna. Stubborn, mareklamo, maingay pero walang tulong. I pity the president. I don’t want to be in his position.

The real solution is to respect this government and to follow. The lockdown will not work if people keep on going out. It will not work if you want to change captains in the middle of the battle. And it will not work if we think we can make better decisions. Madaling magsalita, mahirap gumawa.

I pity the president. I hate to be in this position. People will die. The fact that we are in lockdown shows he values Filipino lives over money. I disagree but I can admire him for wanting more people to live than die.

Money can be made again. But if my child dies or my mom dies in my pursuit of money, then what the heck am I still working for? I only have one mother, and I only have one child.

I personally know 6 who died already. Most are males, fathers and grandfathers. They leave behind crying kids. It’s painful to lose a loved one. I understand the president’s predicament and I pity him. But personally, I don’t want to play Russian Roulette with Pinoy lives.

If the President decides to open, we will open. Bahala na ang Diyos. The Lord will decide if we live or die.

I just don’t want to be the president who pulls the trigger.