My countrymen, good evening. I am now addressing the nation together with the civilian, military and police sectors — the organizations that would count in our enforcement of the laws to protect the people of the Republic of the Philippines.
Pardon my broken Tagalog. Pero sa mga kababayan ko, kayo, ako: Do not panic. Huwag kayong masyadong ma-stress na parang hindi mo na magawa ang gusto mong gawin. Pwede pa rin pero may restrictions tayo, may mga kondisyon dahil nga sa crisis.
The crisis is very, very clear, COVID-19 is spreading all throughout the country including the Philippines. Ang ano ho natin dito is there is no cure. Wala naman tayong mabili sa mga botika, pharmacy, to buy the medicines to cure COVID-19.
It’s a virus. Ang panglaban lang natin diyan ‘yung katawan natin na medyo ano ka in good health na walang sakit. Iyong medyo mahina, make yourself healthier by whatever means maybe food, vitamins. But most of all, try to obey what government is suggesting or ordering you to do.
Huwag kayong matakot, huwag kayong manerbiyos pero wala pang sabi ko mga antidote nito. It would only come in a form of a vaccine. Kagaya ng kagatin kayo ng aso tapos there is the — ang tawag nila rabis or rabies, if you may, pang-away. Sarili rin niyang ano.
It’s a form of germs i-mutate lang to fight, to warn our bodies, magbigay ng signal sa katawan natin na merong mga germs na pumapasok sa katawan mo, and the only way to fight it is to ‘yung mga sundalo na ang tawag nila antibodies, ‘yung pang-away mo sa mga madudumi, mga kagaw, germs, sila ‘yung ma-alert at sila ‘yung papatay ng virus. But until now, wala pa ho ‘yan.
So, nandiyan na ‘yan. It’s a serious one. It is true. Huwag ninyong maliitin. Do not minimize it, I said, but do not kill yourself with worry because government is doing everything possible to make it at least controllable, but kung kayo po ay mag-cooperate. ‘Pag hindi kayo nag-cooperate, ah the problem would start and it would start with you and end with you pagka ganun.
So ‘yung mga sinasabi na social distancing, sundin lang po ninyo. At ‘yung mga ibinibigay na well ahead ng Department of Health, sundin ho ninyo kung anong sinasabi ng mga doktor kasi sila po ang marunong niyan. Ang military, ako, lahat na hindi doktor walang alam, wala kaming maitulong sa inyo.
It’s only the medical people and medical experts who can help us. So listen to them. Dito sa atin, it’s Secretary Duque, and Secretary Duque would articulate kung anong nalaman niya, anong bago na pumasok na impormasyon and he would tell us what to do. So it’s very important to give credence to what he says.
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So walang klase. Pwede kayong magbakasyon diyan lang sa bahay. Avoid… I’m sure may mga bagay-bagay diyan sa bahay na hindi pa ninyo nakita. If I were a student, estudyante man rin ako noon, I would avoid ‘yung mga — mga bar-bar ano diyan, mga nightclub, ‘yung maraming tao where people congregate tapos nandiyan malapit kayo.
Mag-ubo ‘yung isa, mapasa niya. ‘Pag nakuha mo, nag-ubo ka, pasa mo rin doon sa kabila. Try to avoid people, crowds — ‘yon, sa ano — for your own protection. Huwag kang… May mga tao kasi na magsabi, “Ah, wala ‘yan kung patay ka, patay.” Tama. Pero kung patay, patay ka rin talaga, wala rin tayong magawa.
So kaawa naman ang nanay pati tatay ninyo. So better just stay within the premises of the house. If I were you… Alam niyo, alam ko na kung anong gawain ninyo. Bili kayo ng cellphone na marami. Wala naman kayong ginawa kung hindi magtulbok-tulbok rin diyan eh. I mean, all — everywhere that I look.
Dito sa ano walang pakialam ang tao, sige nandoon na sa cellphone. So we are reduced to a one village, o ‘di mas malapit instead of talking, you have your cellphone and that is a benefit which was not given us during our time.
Anong ibig sabihin? Kung wala kang magawa, ang sabi ng gobyerno magaral ka. Pero ito, hindi ko inaasahan susunod — susundin ninyo. Ang sigurado ako, ‘yang kamay ninyo nandiyan sa cellphone ‘yan instead of studying. I’m sure of it. But for you guys who really want to improve your lot, better make use of the time to study.
But for you guys who really want to improve your lot, you better make use of the time to study because… Alam mo mga anak, kayong mga bata, ‘yung — kayo ‘yung mamatay na hindi makalabas ng bahay eh. Then you make all sorts of excuses.
But you know, there will be truant officers. Alam mo ‘yung truant? ‘Yang sa… It’s an American practice. ‘Pag makita ka sa labas, pasakay sa — palaboy-laboy ka lang diyan, wala kang ginagawa, sisigaw-sigaw kayo, lalapitan kayo ng pulis pati military.
Tatanungin kayo, then you have a problem. ‘Pag sinabi mo na, “wala nandito lang kami sa labas.” And then maybe if you are arrogant, dadalhin ka istasyon for record purposes, that you are disobeying, that you are intransigent and that you are not fulfilling your duty.
Alam mo, maski na walang… There are a set of rules governing the responsibilities of a Filipino citizen. Baka hindi ninyo alam ‘yan. Meron ‘yan.
So you have duties to perform also. Avoid trouble with the law, avoid trouble with anybody, just in the meantime, follow. Better just stay home and study. just in the meantime, follow. Better just stay home and study… you stick with your cellphone, ang ga-graduate niyan ang cellphone mo hindi ikaw. Wala tayong magawa.
Mass gatherings, defined as a planned or spontaneous event where the number of people attending could strain the planning and response resources of the community hosting the event, shall be prohibited during said period. ‘Yang magplano whether nakaplano kayo na mag-meeting or may rally.
Either na plano na ninyo spontaneous lang. “Sige mag-ano tayo, gawain ito natin. Tutal wala na rin tayong gawin, ganito na lang magsayawan na lang tayo.” You know we do not — I do not want anybody interfering in your enjoyment as a citizen of this Republic. Ayaw ko na masita kayo ng pulis pati military.
It could be messy. Kasi mga — ‘yung iba sa inyo suplado. And itong mga pulis pati military, they have their orders to enforce. So that if you are in this category of a — grupo kayo tapos ‘pag malapit, ‘yung social distancing is no longer obeyed and — ‘yan, you are violating the rules.
And if you insist, it is one of a — just mere confrontation to something like disobedience which is punishable under the Revised Penal Code. Kung makipag-away ka, it becomes — baka mag — masuntok mo o ano then it becomes an assault on an agent of a person in authority.
In which case, from a simple violation of a rule, it will now ripen into a crime that is punishable by law and you can go to prison. That’s the problem. Ayaw ko. Ayaw ko. Ayaw ko na masita kayo ng military pati pulis. But ako sa inyo, if you are advised, just obey. Wala namang mawala sa inyo tutal sa inyo ‘yan eh. It’s for your own good. Hindi man ito para sa amin. Ako, I hate it. But you have to do it because there is a crisis that is engulfing the country right now.
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Ayaw namin gamitin ‘yan pero — kasi takot kayo sabihin “lockdown”. And a — but it’s a lockdown. There is no struggle of power here. Walang away dito, walang giyera. It’s just a matter of protecting and defending you from COVID-19. That’s about it.
It has nothing to do with the power of the military or the power of the police, nor or my power and of these guys beside me. Hindi ‘yan. It’s not an issue of — it’s just an issue of protecting public interest and public health. Iyon lang.
yun ho ang maibigay ko sa inyo na payo. You might — sometimes it’s a convoluted thing to listen, pabalik-balik. Ang simple lang ‘yan eh. The purpose: to protect and defend you. From what? From COVID-19. Then what is the purpose of government? The purpose of government is see to it that things are in order.
To do that, if things deteriorate, I said, the military and the police will maintain order. Kaya nga tawag diyan peace and order. There has to be a peace and that peace nakalagay na orderly. There must be order in the country. And that is all.
I don’t mind Filipinos giving me a headache. But I certainly do not want anybody other than Filipinos to be giving me headaches. So iyan ang ano — ‘yun ho ang maibigay ko sa inyo na payo. You might — sometimes it’s a convoluted thing to listen, pabalik-balik. Ang simple lang ‘yan eh.
The purpose: to protect and defend you. From what? From COVID-19. Then what is the purpose of government? The purpose of government is see to it that things are in order. To do that, if things deteriorate, I said, the military and the police will maintain order. Kaya nga tawag diyan peace and order. There has to be a peace and that peace nakalagay na orderly. There must be order in the country. And that is all.
So sumunod lang tayo at hinihingi ko sa inyo kaunting pasensiya lang. It’s for your own good. Para sa akin. Kung ayaw mo naman baka ako ang mamatay, hindi ka maawa sa akin. Dahil sa kalokohan mo, ayaw mong sumunod.
So let’s help each other at this time of our life because everything is placed in jeopardy. Delikado talaga. Totoo ito, crisis talaga ito kasi walang gamot.
Okay? Salamat po. Thank you for listening.
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Source: Presidential Communications