By Artemio A. Dumlao
BAGUIO CITY — Celebrities and influencers were urged to use their influence in helping unite the Filipino nation amid the battle against COVID-19.
ACT-CIS partylist lawmaker and House Appropriations committee chairman Eric Go Yap made the appeal, saying, “hindi ito ang panahon ng pulitika.”
Yap, also the caretaker congressman of Benguet province, said, “Hindi kulay ang mga magkalaban at hindi din iisang kulay lang ang tumatayo ngayon upang sugpuin ang krisis na kinakaharap natin.”
He called on these popular personalities to use their star power and platforms to encourage Filipinos to come together, especially during these difficult times.
Rep. Yap cited that while Luzon is on enhanced community quarantine, people have plenty of time on social media. “Bakit hindi natin ito gamitin sa mas makabuluhang mga bagay?” he urged, citing health and wellness practices and measures to ward off the disease. “Why can’t you support the government outright (rather) than (wait) for opportunities when government commits an error or bash government and criticize every word of the President,” he said in Filipino. “This government may not be perfect but definitely it is trying its best.”
The lawmaker, a known ally of the administration and Pres. Duterte’s son, Davao Rep. Paulo Duterte, also expressed his dismay because “there is so much hatred amongst us.”
Though he admitted that it is not wrong to constructively criticize government, “pero kung hanggang sa pinakamaliit na balita ay pinapalaki pa natin na dapat ay non-issue naman, destructive na yan.”
“We all did not vote for the President,” Rep. Yap acknowledged, “but all of us are Filipinos.”
“He was chosen by the majority,” the lawmaker further pointed out. “Hindi madali ang kalagayan ng mga nasa pamahalaan at ngayon higit kailanman ay kailangan natin magsama-samang magtiwala sa ating pamunuan.”
Yap assured government is doing its best so that the country overcomes COVID-19. “Malayo pa ang eleksyon at may mas mabigat na kalaban tayo ngayon. Mas pipiliin nyo ba na ang kandidato nyo mula sa inyong partido ang bumango at makaupo? O mas pipiliin nyo na sama sama natin masugpo itong sakit na ito?”
