President Rodrigo Duterte placed the entire Luzon under Enhanced Community Quarantine (Lockdown) from March 17 to April 12 suspending all means of public transportation. Everyone is advised to stay inside their homes as the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases intensify its efforts to identify and isolate confirmed Covid-19 cases.
Many poor families in Metro Manila, even before the declaration of the Community Quarantine, are already unable to purchase food and basic protection needs against COVID-19. More than the virus, they’re afraid that the lockdown will deprive them of livelihood.
“We won’t last a month here. We won’t even last a few days if my husband doesn’t earn a living,” a woman living in Baseco, Tondo Manla said in an interview.
