Thread by @gideonlasco

What is wrong with the government’s response to COVID-19? Why is the pandemic still out of control? Beyond specific policies, I think the entire paradigm is problematic.

Here's a thread that breaks down this faulty paradigm:

1. The gov’t’s paradigm continues to place the burden and blame on the people. They are quick to impose requirements on individuals (e.g. face shields, quarantine passes, curfews), but slow to pursue steps that require gov’t itself to act (e.g. contact tracing, mass testing)

2. Politics, not science, continues to dictate policy. There is no better example than the embrace of rapid antibody tests that look good in the eyes of the public despite the evidence-based dangers of its use. Another example is the absurd, equally-dangerous motorcycle barrier.

3. There's a lack of a systems thinking. Obviously, if you reopen businesses you need to think about transport. If you make a hospital exclusive for COVID, you’re depriving non-COVID cases of needed care. And if you bring DTTBs doctors to Manila, what about their LGUs?

4. Discipline is based on punishment, not empowerment. People are being told what to do ("Basta sumunod na lang kayo") without explaining the rationale behind them (if any).
Discipline based on punishment and fear will make people obey only when they think they'll get caught.

5. Gov't's credibility has been undermined by hypocrisy and double standards. Had Debold Sinas been sanctioned; had there been no VIP testing, I'm sure a lot more Pinoys would have followed quarantine rules. Ironically, Duterte blames the pasaway but defends his pasaway friends.

6. We have a president, but no leader. Duterte's late-night, hateful ramblings have been nowhere near the clear-headed, coherent leadership required to inspire and guide people amid this crisis.

Alas, more Filipinos will get killed if we follow him and just wait for a vaccine.

7. Finally, gov’t has been divisive at a moment we need unity the most. Lest we forget, Congress spent precious legislative time in the middle of a pandemic to facilitate the ABS-CBN shutdown and the Anti-Terror Bill, while Malacañang has taken shots at frontliners and critics.

There are good people in our national government agencies. There are good people in our LGUs. But their efforts are undermined by this problematic paradigm.

Thus, we should continue to resist and challenge it - as well as the president responsible for this disastrous response.