As the threat of COVID-19 lingers, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Wednesday encouraged the public to prioritize having a safe Christmas this year by observing the minimum health standards.
(MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Lorenzana, who is also the chairman of the National Action Plan (NAP) on COVID-19, hopes that the public will think of the health and safety of themselves and their loved ones when they celebrate Chirstmas Day on Friday.
"Bilang inyong Kalihim ng Kagawaran ng Tanggulang Pambansa, hinihiling ko na maging ligtas ang bawat pamilyang Pilipino sa ating pagdiriwang ng Kapaskuhan at sa pagsalubong ng Bagong Taon. Nawa'y tayong lahat ay makiisa sa ating mga panuntunang pangkalusugan para sa kaligtasan hindi lang ng ating mga sarili kundi ng ating buong pamayanan (As the Secretary of your Department of National Defense, I hope that every Filipino family will be safe during the Christmas and New Year's Day celebrations. I hope that we will all cooperate in the health protocols for the safety not only of ourselves but of the entire community)," Lorenzana said in his Christmas Day message.
The Defense Chief's plea came as health experts and researchers from the University of the Philippines (UP) Octa Research noted a surge of new COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila.
The research team said the surge is still in its "initial stages" and can be mitigated if the public adheres to the protocols set by the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID).
"The period of the declining trend in cases observed in the National Capital Region in the past few months has now ended. The trend has been reversed with significant positive growth in new cases observed in the region," the UP Octa Research team said.
The reproduction rate in Metro Manila further grew to 1.15 from December 14 to 20, an increase from the 1.06 rate in the previous week.
The Department of Health earlier advised the public to limit gatherings to 10 and observe the minimum health standards such as wearing of face mask and face shield, and practicing social distancing.
Christmas parties, caroling, and karaoke sessions were also prohibited in Metro Manila to avoid the possible transmission of the virus.
Meanwhile, the Defense Chief reaffirmed his commitment to secure the public from all forms of security threats, may it be against traditional enemies such as insurgents and terrorists or an unseen virus.
He said the celebration of Jesus Christ's birth "brings hope and ignites love" in the hearts of the people even during tough times when the country is facing an unprecedented threat -- the COVID-19 pandemic -- and other problems such as the destructive calamities in the recent months.
"Kung kaya para sa marami nating kababayan, ang pag-asa para sa bagong simula at malasakit sa ating kapwa Pilipino ang naging tunay na diwa ng Pasko ngayong taon (That is why for most of our fellowmen, the hope for a new beginning and the concern for others became the true essence of Christmas this year)," Lorenzana said.
"Makakaasa naman ang sambayanan na ang inyong One Defense Team ay patuloy na magsusumikap na makamtan ang kapayapaan sa ating mga komunidad at mapangalagaan ang kaligtasan ng bansa para sa mas maunlad na kinabukasan para sa lahat (Rest assured that the One Defense Team will continue to persevere to secure the communities and ensure the security of the country for a better future for everybody)," he added.