Our security in the time of Covid-19

THE coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) has upended our lives and raised security concerns.

To address the health security of the citizenry, government first encouraged citizens to practice social distancing that is, staying away from each other for a distance of no less than 6 feet. But how does one achieve this? One has to survive the ride on public transport at peak or rush hours without personal space as people are crammed in tight spaces.

Following the sudden surge of confirmed Covid-19 cases, government declared Metro Manila starting March 15 under what it called a “community quarantine.” It was an undefined situation with very little guidance. By Monday, people still moved about. Trains and buses continued their daily runs. A jeepney trip was limited to half its capacity. Malls were shuttered, restaurants and fast food joints limited their services to “to go” orders and deliveries, no dine in.

Before the day ended, government placed the whole island of

Luzon under “enhanced community quarantine” starting on March 17. Many were unaware and some workers taking off at the end of their shift were caught at curfew time and prevented from crossing city or municipal boundaries.

By Tuesday, mobility was curtailed. Thousands endured the long wait in traffic. Even food deliveries from outside of Metro Manila were stuck in traffic for at least four hours.

The lack or absence of public transport facilities meant that workers who worked within Metro Manila but lived outside or even those who lived within Metro Manila but had to traverse the Metro to their places of work would be marked absent from work. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez was quoted as suggesting that these workers should find and rent a living space near their places of work. As if this was an easy thing to do at such short notice and given that the cost of renting a living space has soared due to the influx of Philippine offshore gaming operations workers. And, rental money would probably be a big slice from the worker’s income.

Business establishments slowing down or grinding to a halt is a threat to the daily wage earnings of janitors, messengers, security guards, department store workers and others similarly situated.

Carpenters, plumbers, painters, repairmen, handymen and the like who try to find work within their communities or even venture outside to deliver their services lose the opportunity to do so without public transport facilities.

Unable to ply their daily routes, jeepney, bus, tricycle and taxi drivers are also on the losing end.

Street vendors, too, are among those who suffer loss of income. When Metro Manila was declared under community quarantine, Secretary Lopez heartlessly quipped that the vendors should probably sell outside of Metro Manila.

How about scavengers and those who barely earn anything?

No transport? Cabinet Secretary Carlo Nograles reportedly said, “take a walk.”

No work, no pay. This only means the family income earner is unable to put food on the table.

To this, Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo reportedly said: “ (No one will die from hunger).”

In the eyes of the daily wage earners, the enhanced community quarantine is a threat to their job and food security. And the comments from government officials do not help.

Where are the safety nets? Initially, local government units are working to put together food packs — dole-outs — to be delivered to the most affected in their communities. Government better come up with other safety nets soon.

In the meantime, our online or internet security is also under threat. Text messages have been going the