1. Detention in concentration camps, and burning the Farola district. Cholera spread due to these policies, and other diseases developed. 

2. Burning victims' bodies created distrust and hampered health campaigns (Worcester, 1909 as cited by Acevedo 2021). 

A lot of the health measures used at the time of the cholera outbreak were just that, superstitious. Though later on the Government made the right decision by liberalizing their healthcare projects and investing more into the educational methods.

One example during the 1820 cholera outbreak, was when the Catholic clergy and Spanish merchants spread rumors that non-Spanish foreigners were out to poison the wells and, thus, killed the natives (Acevedo, 2021). This incident underscores the fact that the spread of misinformation leads to chaos.

Their home, in danger of being invaded, being burned down, or quarantined. Their food supplies had become scarce, caused by the closures of trade routes and unsustainable health measures applied for safety.

If they were not worried about dying to starvation or to the Americans, they had cholera to worry about, its threat was felt, having 50-70 deaths every day during the 1902 Philippine cholera epidemic (The British Medical Journal, 1902).

President Duterte declared a public health emergency on March 8, 2020 (Proclamation No. 922). Luzon was under the strictest lockdown, known as enhanced community quarantine (Atienza, 2021). Additionally, Congress granted emergency powers to President Duterte through the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act of 2020 (Bayanihan Act) on March 2, 2020. Despite provisions granting fiscal flexibility, it was enacted with minimal opposition (Yusingco & Pizarro, 2020).

Militaristic Response 

The government's COVID-19 response involves a notable military presence, with lockdown measures resembling military checkpoints. Retired generals play key roles in leadership, and President Duterte's directive to arrest quarantine violators highlights a militarized enforcement approach (Regino, 2020; Dizon, 2020).

In 2020, the Philippines enforced an "enhanced community quarantine" with strict measures like home isolation, social distancing, business closures, travel bans, curfews, and increased enforcement (Amit et al., 2021).

Mandatory Masks, Social Distancing

Malacañang mandated the public to follow strict home quarantine and social distancing measures, including wearing face masks and face shields at all times when outside their homes (Da Silva, 2020).

Vaccination Program

In January 2021, the Department of Health of the Philippines unveiled an interim plan for COVID-19 vaccine deployment. Aiming to achieve herd immunity against COVID-19 (Tomacruz, 2021; Tejero et al., 2022).

The toll of COVID-19 on Philippine society highlights existing inequalities in access to healthcare and resources, impacting marginalized communities more severely. Approximately 4.1 million people have been infected, with over four million recoveries and around 66.4 thousand deaths (Statista Research Department, 2023).

Healthcare System Strain

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in the Philippine healthcare system, straining medical resources, hospital capacities, and healthcare staff. (Lim, 2020).

Economic Fallout 

COVID-19 severely impacted rural livelihoods in the Philippines, particularly in poor communities, with loss of income and job opportunities worsened by pandemic restrictions (Fallesen, 2023).