REP. ANGELICA NATASHA CO
BHW Party-list | Member for the Minority,
Appropriations, Health, and 12 other Committees
09177292437 | https://www.facebook.com/BHWPhilippinesOfficial/
TOTAL TRAVEL BAN NOW
Bar everyone from entering the country starting now
We told you so but you refused to listen.
The overly-cautious stance of the IATF on imposing travel bans on foreign nationals while allowing Filipinos to return to our country has become untenable and indefensible with the confirmed entry into the country of the more contagious strain of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
The first confirmed patient with the new coronavirus strain who entered our country potentially infected every passenger and crew with him on the Emirates flight he was on and from a country that was not yet on the travel ban list. He could have also infected every close contact he had from the time he disembarked from the airplane to the time he was made aware of the confirmed test results.
He may not be the only one with the more virulent strain. There could well be many others yet to be tested and confirmed.
This first confirmed new case is clear proof that the current IATF policy approach is ineffective and must be abandoned immediately. Impose a total travel ban now on all Filipinos and foreigners entering the country starting today. Although belated, this move will prevent the entry of more people with the coronavirus, including the more contagious strains out there.
Please, we must stop playing catch up against the fast-moving coronavirus. Prevention is much better. Running after the coronavirus after it is allowed to enter our airports is insanity. Stop letting the coronavirus make fools of all of us. (END)