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Netizens expressed their confusion as to why Davao City can’t be called the new COVID-19 “epicenter” in the country despite the spike of cases in the area.
According to the Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, the term may lead people to think that the cases originated in Davao City. She added that DOH “discourages” the use of the term for describing the rise of cases in the area.
“No, Davao City is not an epicenter. We continue to closely monitor the situation in Davao City due to increasing cases,” Vergeire said during a message to the reporters.
She added that the pandemic epicenters are interpreted by others as the origin of the virus.
“It is also meant to connote the area as a hotspot for the infection. We discourage the use of the term ‘epicenter’ in describing the rise of cases in an area.”
Bernaby Lo tweeted a screenshot of the news 11 months ago with the DOH stating that Metro Manila is the COVID-19 epicenter.
“Pwedeng tawaging COVID epicenter ang Metro Manila pero ang Davao hindi,” Lo asked.
Pwedeng tawaging COVID epicenter ang Metro Manila pero ang Davao hindi. pic.twitter.com/gy1PwSzP12
— Barnaby Lo 吳宗鴻 (@barnabychuck) June 10, 2021
Another netizen pointed out that if Davao can’t be dubbed as the epicenter as the virus didn’t originate in the area, then Manila also can’t be called as such.
https://twitter.com/CholoI_/status/1402969844996186113
Someone accused DOH of propagandizing Davao as a city immune to criticisms.
DOH style ng propaganda vaccination para immune ang Davao sa criticisms
— Rommel Lopez (@RommelFLopez) June 10, 2021
“Because it goes against the narrative that Davao is heaven on earth in the Philippines coz Duterte,” a netizen wrote.
https://twitter.com/jmdeblois/status/1402945481206951942
A twitter user accused the authorities of focusing on the names but continues to do no action regarding the pandemic.
Eto na naman sila. Daming eme sa names, pero walang aksyon. Style bulok. https://t.co/WbvYkJUAuo
— doc gene (@genenisperos) June 10, 2021
On the other hand, someone found people’s reactions “funny.”
The quote tweets and replies are funny. The Imperial Manila ego is shaken 🙄🤭 https://t.co/1YjzYhgw5K
— Kuya (@KuyaTalks) June 11, 2021
Someone also accused others of just trying to “ruin” Davao City because the elections are approaching.
Over half of all cases in the Philippines come from NCR. Davao City has reached 19,000 total cases and suddenly that's the COVID epicenter? Hindi naman halata ang plano niyong sirain yung siyudad ngayong eleksyon na. https://t.co/N2N7C2xphR
— Genom Alfredo 🇵🇭 (@AlfredoGenom) June 10, 2021
On June 7, 26 establishments in Davao City got placed on lockdown. The DOH documented 1,924 cases in the area in the past 10 days.
The majority of detected cases are from workplaces, establishments, and households–Dr. Marjorie Culas, assistant city health officer of Davao said.
“Among the most affected are business process outsourcing (BPO) or call centers. As of this time we have reported 11 BPOs that have cases.”
The area has around 54,000 active cases on June 10.
