MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has urged the public to abide by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions this yuletide season to prevent possible surge of new cases.
In his address to the public on Monday evening, President Duterte apologized to Filipinos for the restrictions on family gatherings and other parties.
“Ngayon pa lang, we are saying sorry that there will be a curtailment of so many things that you have been used to this Christmas time,” Duterte said. “Para sa inyo ito, hindi sa gobyerno.”
“You have had so many Christmas and blowouts. This is one Christmas where government will interfere in your private affairs. You might think this is too much, ‘government cannot control us,’ the problem is we are preventing you from getting other people sick,” he added.
“Would you be kind enough to skip the festivities, iwasan muna ninyo. You avoid it because it is for your own good and the good of the community,” he further said. “Isang beses lang hinihingi ng gobyerno.”
According to the President, the public should understand that the government is tightening the measures to prevent the second wave of COVID-19 infection.
“I would be the last person to deprive you of your freedom to move around. But it is important that you should understand, what we are trying to protect, who are the people we are trying to shield, it is the contamination from you,” Duterte said.
In October, Metro Manila mayors discouraged the holding of Christmas parties amid the threat of COVID-19. Authorities have also banned caroling as studies showed that individuals release respiratory droplets when singing.
The Department of Health advised the public to hold Christmas parties only among members of the same household warning of potential rise in COVID-19 cases should they invite people from different households./PN
