If managed correctly, however, the extended lockdown until or even beyond April 30 could gain the public buy-in it needs to be practically effective. The biggest problem with the government’s approach so far is to turn the lockdown into the problem, rather than the actual pandemic. The extended lockdown needs a clear rationalization, and for that, the government must focus on connecting it to the steps necessary for fighting the pandemic. The government already announced that it would “be ready to begin” mass testing on April 14. Resolving these kinds of ridiculous and unnecessary impositions on people already under duress already amounts to significant “lockdown relief” without the government’s having to spend a centavo.

Source: Manila Times April 08, 2020 16:22 UTC