Akbayan: Worst is over? Why? are they stepping down?

“The worst is over? Why? Are they all stepping down from office?”

This was the remark made by Akbayan Chair Emeritus Etta Rosales on Thursday after Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that the “worst is over” in response to a latest survey that showed that majority of Filipinos believe that the COVID-19 pandemic will get worse.

“The statement is irresponsible, unscientific, dangerous and outright stupid. It is state-sponsored complacency. It will not lift the people’s spirits, it will only lift public vigilance amid a raging pandemic,” Rosales said.

In a July Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, it showed that 57 percent of Filipinos believe that the health crisis will get worse, up from 47 percent last May.

Meanwhile, respondents who believe that the worst of COVID-19 is over dropped to 35 percent from 44 in the same period. Rosales asked how can Roque make such a statement when the country just hit a record-high number of COVID-19 deaths three days ago and has the worst virus outbreak in the region.

She also mentioned how the country’s economy plunged into recession, with the local economy shrinking to a record 16.5 percent in the second quarter of the year that has left 27 million Filipinos unemployed. “I fear that the last bits of reasion has left Mr. Roque.

Kailangan pa yata maubos ang apoy ng araw, matuyo ang dagat, malaglag ang mga bituin sa langit at kainin tayong lahat ng lupa para makita niya kung gaano kalala ang krisis,” Rosales stressed.

Rosales, who is also a former Akbayan Partylist Representative, called on Malacañang to stop issuing statements that will only undermine the public’s health and safety.

She said that the Duterte government should instead focus on developing a comprehensive roadmap to help the Filipinos weather the health and economic crises.

“Malacañang should stop its toxic positivity propaganda to invalidate the depth and seriousness of this crisis, and hide its gross incompetence. They should cease from saying that the ‘worst is over’ unless, of course, they are all planning to step down from office,” Rosales concluded.