Dispatch from Crame No. 1,048:
Sen. Leila M. de Lima's reaction regarding the 2-week lockdown a.k.a stricter GCQ

3/23/21

A year of an economy in recession, livelihood and jobs on the line, millions plunging in poverty, lives lost - is one too many. It should have been more than enough time to fix the government's pandemic response. But where are we now? Mas tumataas pang bilang ng kaso ng COVID-19, mas pagod na healthcare workers, mas maraming walang trabaho at mas maraming gutom na Pilipino.

As former Health Secretary Dr. Esperanza Cabral put it: "We are not back to square one. We are ten steps back from square one."

Dito tayo dinala ng isang gobyernong lito sa prayoridad, lideratong lasing sa kapangyarihan, at pamahalaang tuta ng Tsina.

Lockdown or bubble - they will come up with any and all novel words to paint the situation as less stringent and burdensome than it actually is. Ayaw nilang tawaging lockdown para hindi halatang hindi naman talaga tayo nakausad sa sitwasyon natin noong isang taon. Whatever you call it, people in many industries are affected by another 2-week lockdown a.k.a stricter GCQ. Kahit anong itawag, isang panibagong dagok ito sa lipunan at taumbayang pagod na pagod na sa kapalpakan ni Duterte at mga alagad nito.

The situation has gotten way out of hand - again! But all we have is a government so excellent in its botched pandemic response. An administration that is persistent in weaving deception continues to make people believe that we are not on lockdown simply because they will be compelled to give financial assistance to people and industries affected. Ang kalakaran ay kanya-kanya na lang.

Mantakin ninyo, sila ang naglugmok sa atin sa miserableng sitwasyon na ito pero bahala na daw tayong dumiskarte kung paano tayo makakaahon. We are trillions in debt and yet you are telling us that there will be no more relief package? Napakalaki ng inutang ninyo pero nasaan na ang bakuna at ayuda? Naibulsa na naman ba?

Households knocked down by another lockdown must receive cash relief from the national government. Back in May 2020, I filed Senate Bill No. 1468 which seeks to enhance the social protection responses of the government to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the dire situation the government's incompetence has led us into, it is time to revisit this option. Makakatulong ito upang kahit paano'y agarang matugunan ang pangangailangan ng mga pinakaapektado nating kababayan.

Ang malinaw, kailangan ng taumbayan ang bakuna at ayuda, hindi maagang pangangampanya. Pagkain, hindi tarpaulin ng first daughter at ng super alalay. Bayan muna bago pamumulitika!

Kung puro lockdown lang ang solusyon nyo, better step down! Kung petiks, ekis!

(Access the handwritten copy of Dispatch from Crame No. 1,048, here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatch_1048)