If you ask Senate President Vicente Sotto III what seems to be wrong with the current COVID-19 situation in the Philippines, he thinks it has something to do with our attitude.

“I think there’s something wrong with our attitude, there’s something wrong with the character being seen among us. Sa atin, mga kababayan natin, tayo. Parang ang tingin nila tapos na ’yung problema, wala na. Sige lang, labas nang labas. Padami tuloy nang padami ngayon,” Sotto told reporters in an online interview Tuesday, June 30.

[READ: So who’s to blame? Duterte’s angry at Cebuanos for not following COVID-19 protocols]

He cited a recent incident in Makati where a number of customers was apprehended after crowding a bar. The bar has since been closed down by the Makati local government.

According to the senator, this is a bigger problem than the government’s program. “I think the compliance of the people, mas malaking sakit ng ulo ’yon kesa dun sa programa.”

In other countries, where similar programs are in place, he said, they were able to control the pandemic but here people are hard-headed.

“Pero in those countries na matitigas ang ulo. Tignan mo America, tignan mo Europa, tignan mo ang Pilipinas. Kaya siguro kung hahatiin natin ’yan, kung saan ang mga pagkukulang, mas malaki pagkukulang natin, ng mga kababayan natin na hindi sumusunod,” he said.

As of today, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases is at over 37,000 with 1,266 deaths and over 10,000 recoveries.

[READ: That 40k COVID-19 cases prediction we just ‘beat’? It might go up to 60k come July 30, says UP]

*Health personnel conduct mass testing at the barangay level in Cebu City amid the rise of cases in at least four urban poor communities in the city. Photo by Cebu City Public Information Office*

Later today, President Duterte, on the eve of his fourth year in Malacañang, will announce new quarantine protocols as the last general community quarantine extension in Metro Manila will lapse today.

According to the Department of Health, Metro Manila is still the epicenter of the pandemic while Cebu City is just a hotspot. The latter is currently under enhanced community quarantine.

Sen. Sotto added that it is our shared responsibility, and not just the government’s, to contain coronavirus.

“Kasi ’pag puro inasa mo sa gobyerno ’yan, kapag merong ginawang paghihigpit, pipintasan natin. ’Pag ginawang medyo luwag ng konti, aangal naman at meron namang mangyayaring masama,” he said.

Header photo screen captured by Inquirer

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