Several celebrities shared on social media their reactions to the Department of Health’s (DOH) recent statement about COVID-19 situation in the country.
During a Senate hearing on Wednesday, May 20, Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III claimed that the second wave of the new coronavirus disease is already happening in the country.
Duque’s pronouncement was then met with doubts and shock from netizens especially celebrities who expressed their reservations about this claim.
Alessandra de Rossi, K Brosas, Frankie Pangilinan, and Janine Gutierrez took to Twitter to air their take on the issue.
Nung nakita kong trending ang Duque, nag-knock akong mag-isa….
I Duque who you are, where you're from Duque what you did…. As long as you love me.
Kaya ko pa baaaaaa…. 😭😭😭
Hindi na.— alessandra de rossi (@msderossi) May 21, 2020
Ha?? Kelan pa po natapos yung 1st wave?? Naka idlip lang ako 2nd wave na pala? 😐 https://t.co/PY6IcqLshR
— carmela brosas (@kbrosas) May 20, 2020
Uhm wala po ba kayong group chat? Hindi nyo kami masisisi kung gulong gulo na kami kung kayo mismo magulo.. gulo diba? 😅 https://t.co/861abMLBOU
— carmela brosas (@kbrosas) May 21, 2020
second wave na daw advance mag isip eh
— kakie (@kakiep83) May 20, 2020
Did you even stop the first wave though sis https://t.co/Rx9aFC3S1b
— JANINE (@janinegutierrez) May 20, 2020
Meanwhile, Megastar Sharon Cuneta deleted her tweet “Oh dear Lord in heaven, please protect us. God bless the Philippines” upon knowing the Health Secretary retracted his earlier statement.
Even Malacanang officials have debunked Duque’s claim, saying the country is still on its first wave.
“Tayo po ngayon ay nasa (We are in the) first wave,” said presidential spokesman Harry Roque in a televised briefing.
However, a day after getting backlash on social media, Duque backtracked on his earlier statement reclassifying the situation as the country’s “first major wave” instead of the second wave of COVID-19 transmission.
“Because the first wave, which can be, of course…validated by Dr John Wong – he’s our expert epidemiologist – that indeed, there was a first wave but there is more, which consisted of just 3 imported cases in January. Then we have nothing for February,” Duque said.
“And then this was followed by a bigger wave, which is now what we consider the first major wave of sustained community transmission. So either way, it can be easily construed that where we are today is really the first major wave of sustained transmission,” he added.
With Duque’s flip-flopping, many netizens slammed his reckless statements with others even calling for his removal from office or his voluntary resignation.
https://twitter.com/AlterKalat/status/1263073214663585792
Duque: “The Philippines is on its 2nd wave of infections.”
1st wave: 3 cases
2nd wave: 13,218 casesEH DI WOW#FactYouDuque#DuqueResignNOW
— Jesus Falcis 🇵🇭 (@jesusfalcis) May 20, 2020
Mr. Duque, if you have some dignity left in you, PLEASE RESIGN! Instead of solution, you only bring misinformation and confusion. WHAT A SHAME. #DuqueResignNow https://t.co/W2ckv10Fj9
— hannah.97 (@hannahpmlg) May 22, 2020
Incompetent is your name @SecDuque . You can’t even explain scientifically how the 1st wave ends and more so can’t explain scientifically how 2nd wave started. #DuqueResignNow https://t.co/EOHqMVpbhp
— black knights (@blackkn05858615) May 21, 2020
Can we all call for Duque's resignation? As in lahat sana – medical assoc, universities, business groups, church leaders, etc…
Sobrang mismanaged na eh.#DuqueResignNow
— Søren Kierkegaard Legaspi (@Rexinyeta) May 20, 2020
Duque should be more careful with his pronouncements. Hindi porke tinotolerate sya ni PRRD eh pwede na nyang araw-arawin ang katangahan at pagkawalang-silbi. He should just resign and let somebody take the lead for DOH. #DuqueResignNow
— A L C H E M i S T ® (@RyanRZambrano) May 21, 2020
