Despite the threats of a surge and a new variant, Malacañang is confident that the Philippines is on its way to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the statement as the government awaits data to see if the number of COVID-19 cases increased over the holidays while implementing measures to prevent the entry of new COVID-19 strains in the country.
In his press briefing on Thursday, Roque said that the Philippines is on its way to recovering from the pandemic since the country is now prepared after going through “the worst” phase.
“I think we have seen the worst and I think the entire government machinery agrees with this,” he said.
“So huwag po kayong mag-alala, the worst is over. Sabi nga nila, we’ve hit rock bottom, and the only way to go is up,” he added.
The Department of Health (DoH) said that they will be able to determine if there was a surge in COVID-19 cases during the holidays in mid-January.
To date, the Philippines has recorded a total of 485,797 COVID-19 cases, 1,957 of which were new cases reported on January 9. Based on the DoH COVID-19 tracker, there are still 26,784 active cases in the country.
According to Roque, the government is reopening the economy in order for people to go to work and revive the economy after a recession year. He added that the government aims to vaccinate at least 50 million Filipinos this year.
However, he reminded the public to follow health protocols, particularly the wearing of face masks and shields, proper handwashing, and physical distancing. (Argyll B. Geducos)