By Genalyn Kabiling The Philippines has managed to keep a low infection rate due to two crucial decisions made by President Duterte to address the public health emergency early on, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Thursday. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte holds a meeting with some members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang on April 8, 2020. (TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) Duque took pride that the President's decision to impose travel restriction on China and declare an enhanced community quarantine in Luzon have helped curb the spread of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country. "Pagka ihahambing po natin ang bilang ng mga may impeksyon sa Pilipinas ay iisa po tayo sa may pinakamababa na bilang sa 3,764 po ang bilang as of yesterday. At ang --- ito pong bilang na ito ay lumalabas dalawa ang total case per one million population. Isa po tayo sa pinakamababa. (If we compare the number of infections in the Philippines, we are one of those with the lowest number with 3,764 as of Tuesday. This figure shows a total of two cases per one million population. We are one of those with the lowest number)," he said during a public briefing aired past midnight. "Ito po ay nagsasalamin ng mga desisyon na ginawa po ng ating mahal na Pangulo at dalawa po itong napakamalakas na desisyon. (This reflects the two very strong decisions made by our beloved President)," he added. Duque said the "absolute travel restriction" on China ordered by the President has contributed in preventing the spread of the coronavirus in the country. The travel ban to and from China was authorized by the President last February after the virus outbreak started in Wuhan, Hubei. The new coronavirus rapidly spread to several countries, leaving thousands of people dead and infected. Another "good and strong" decision of the President is the implementation enhanced community quarantine in Luzon, according to Duque. The lockdown, enforced since March 17, mandated mandatory home quarantine for residents, suspended public transport, promoted alternative work arrangements, suspended classes, banned large gatherings. The quarantine is supposed to end on April 12 but the President ordered its extension until April 30 to prevent the rise of of infections as well as give the government more time to enhance its health facilities and resources. "So ito po ang dalawang kadahilanan --- pangunahing kadahilanan kung bakit po ang bilang ng COVID infection sa Pilipinas kung ihahambing sa ibang mga bansa ay mababa po talaga. (These two are the main reason the number of COVID infection in the Philippines is lower compared to other countries)," Duque said.   Of the 1.4 million cases reported globally, the United States has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases at more than 432,132 with 14,814 deaths as of Thursday, followed Spain, Italy, France and Germany based on a global tracker run by Johns Hopkins University. The Philippines ranked 35th in the list of countries with coronavirus infections. The country comes second to Malaysia in terms of coronavirus cases among Southeast Asian nations. As of April 8, the country has recorded 3,870 cases of infections, including 182 fatalities. The President met with several Cabinet members, who form part of the inter-agency task force overseeing the government's COVID response, while all wearing face masks. The President's meeting with the top officials was held Wednesday night but his taped public briefing was belatedly aired past midnight. Support for health workers The country's heroic health workers will be given priority in terms of getting personal protective equipment sets and access to coronavirus testing, according to Duque. The health chief made the commitment after expressing the government's sincere gratitude to the health frontliners battling the coronavirus disease. "Mahirap man po ang inyong trabaho, ngunit ang --- nandiyan po ang lahat po ng mga namumuno sa gobyerno para bigyan po kayo ng sapat na suporta, kagaya po ng personal protective equipment ay kayo po ang number one priority sa pagbibigay po nitong mga kasangkapang ito (Your job may be difficult but all leaders of government are committed to fully support you in terms of personal protective equipment. You will be the number one priority who will receive such supply)," he said. "At ganun din po sa atin pagpapalawig ng pagsuri ng atin pong mga specimen ay ang mga healthcare workers din po ang number one priority (The healthcare workers will also get number one priority in our expansion of testing of specimen)," he added. Duque recognized that the hard work and sacrifices made by the country's health workers, saying they are the ones saving the lives of coronavirus patients. He said 11 doctors passed away amid the battle against the coronavirus "Saludo po kami sa lahat po ng mga healthcare workers, ang mga doctor, ang mga nurses, at lalo na po ‘yon pong nagbuwis ng kanilang buhay (We salute all healthcare workers, doctors, nurses and especially those who scarified their lives)," he said. "Meron 11 po tayong pumanaw na mga doktor. At ito po ang masasabi ko, wala hong katumbas ang inyong kabayanihan at ang inyo pong sakripisyo sa pagsalba ng buhay ng mga naapektuhan po ng COVID-19 (We have 11 doctor who passed away. All I can say is nothing can match your heroism and sacrifice in saving the lives of those affected by COVID-19)," he said. He assured the health workers that the government will continue to support them and will never neglect them. "Kayo po ang pinanggagalingan ng lakas at pasasalamat ng atin pong taong-bayan sa inyo pong patuloy na sakripisyo, ang atin pong mga frontliners ay malakas po ang suporta ng Pangulong Duterte at hindi po kayo pababayaan (You are the source of our strength. Our countrymen thank our frontliners for your continued sacrifice. President Duterte will support you and we will not abandon you)," he said.#