The Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) confirmed on April 28 the issuance of a presidential directive to government media to amplify world data to convey that the country is “faring better” than others in terms of COVID-19 response.
This followed the circulation of a memorandum from PCOO on the matter in social media on April 28.
“President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is aware that government communications help achieve good governance, keep the public informed, and create a dialogue between the people and the government,” PCOO News and Information Bureau Dir. Virginia Arcilla-Agtay said.
“Well aware of these roles, especially with the COVID-19 situation, the President has given the instruction in order to provide adequate information and convey working policies, particularly those that aim to address the effects of the pandemic in the country,” she explained.
The official said there is “nothing wrong” with the move since it is only to amplify facts and information from legitimate resources.
COVID-19 response
In a statement, the PCOO laid out the “reputable and efficient” response of the country against the coronavirus in line with the ongoing development of the pandemic abroad.
The OCTA Research group recently announced that COVID-19 reproduction number in the National Capital Region decreased to 0.85, while the positivity rate among tested individuals dropped to 18% from 2% on April 23.
The Philippines also ranks fourth among 10 Southeast Asian countries in vaccine rollout, ahead of Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Brunei. As of April 27, the country has already administered 1,809,801 doses across 17 regions.
In terms of testing, the country ranks 28th among more than 200 nations in the number of tests conducted. Moreover, the recovery rate of COVID-19 patients is at 91.7% as of April 28. The mortality rate is also fairly low, with the country at the 116th spot in terms of mortality per one million people, “which says much about our health capabilities and commitment to ensure the recovery of those who have contracted the virus.”
The country also has a “low daily confirmed COVID-19 cases per 1 million population with 78.8 next to the United Kingdom with 34.96.” Germany has 238.76, Italy has 213.71, Canada has 211.42, India has 209.13, and the United States has 162.20.
The official said the directive merely aims to convey “positive messages to the people” as an outcome of good governance rather than “to proliferate fear uncertainty, disinformation, and fake news.”
“We have been actively promoting different communications campaigns on vaccination, quarantine measures, and other COVID-19-related responses, and we will continue to deliver positive, informative, and, most especially, factual information on our current state in our road to recovery from this pandemic,” she concluded. – Report from Mela Lesmoras, PCOO/AG-jlo
