Dispatch from Crame No. 774:
Sen. Leila M. de Lima on the Plight of the Urban Poor Amid Stay-at-Home Policy

The stay-at-home policy is a straightforward measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Like the rest of the world, we hinge our main combat plan on this, next to science-based, medical solutions.

But unlike functioning democracies abroad, Duterte and his task force put threatening emphasis on "stay" without minding the "home."

Hindi tayo katulad ng ibang bansa na malamig ang klima at maayos ang tirahan ng marami. Barong-barong ang bahay ng milyon-milyon nating kababayan; siksikan sila sa maliit na espasyo at tino-torture ng napakatinding init na parang nakasilid sa hawla.

Ano man lang bang payagan na magpahangin sa mismong labas ng bahay at tumanaw ng pag-asa sa paligid, habang sinusunod pa rin ang physical distancing at suot ang face mask nang hindi huhulihin o bubulyawan? Ilapat naman natin ang mga polisiya sa aktwal na sitwasyon natin. Hindi sa sitwasyon ng China. Please naman.

We must acknowledge and live out our realities on the ground as they are. Our policymakers and implementors must always bear this in mind, and not just formulate and carry out overly rigid and iron-fisted law enforcement.

Totoong may mga pasaway; lagi namang mayro'n, may pandemic man o wala. Pero totoo rin na ang karamihan sa urban poor ay sumusunod, at susunod kahit pa hindi na kumportable sa kanilang sitwasyon.

To the public, I urge everyone: if we cannot help our poor kababayans directly, let's at least have an open mind and see their situation. You will see that although we all suffer, they are the ones now who suffer the most, next to our frontliners.

(Access the handwritten copy of Dispatch from Crame No. 774, here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatch_no._774)