She will be liberal.
That’s the specific description Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio used in her latest advisory on Covid-19 management under Davao City’s Alert Level 3 status.
Mayor Sara instructed the Covid-19 Task Force on the liberal implementation under Alert Level 3 including no closures of establishments but emphasized the wearing of face mask, social distancing, and booster vaccination campaign.
By “liberal” she meant it’s all up to people to make choices on how they move about indicating that the city cannot go “close-open and vice versa” on restrictions.
Are these signs of exasperation?
Leaving the decision on movement of people to themselves could be a very risky proposition. In most parts of the world where the threat of the fast-infecting Omicron variant is also wreaking havoc, the government stand is to impose checks on proof of vaccination. Absence of that means a lesser enjoyment of life. The reason is simple, the government is spending so much on vaccination for everyone’s safety and yet others remain adamant and stand tough on their choice not to get the shots.
While it is people’s choice not to be vaccinated, it is also the government’s responsibility to protect its people and resources. Most of those being treated in public hospitals are non-vaccinated. Enormous amount of government funds are spent for them. Isn’t that unfair for those who are vaccinated?
It is not for the government to force on people to make decisions to get vaccinated because at the end of the day, it is an exercise of a right–the freedom to choose. However, it comes with accompanying implications. And the government, in the face of the very exhausting tug of war, can only do one thing and that is to preserve its resources to those responsible enough to support the campaign for everyone’s safety.
