Kapamilya star Liza Soberano took to social media to express her dismay over the varying lockdowns in the Philippines since March 2020.
Her statement came after the government implemented a general community quarantine (GCQ) bubble for the National Capital Region (NCR) and four neighboring provinces.
In a tweet on Monday, March 22, Soberano lamented for the Filipinos who continue to suffer from the pandemic.
My heart bleeds for all the people who cannot afford not to go out and work. They literally have to choose between dying of starvation or dying of covid. Is our country really this poor to no be able to provide stimulus?? Genuine question lang po.
— Liza Soberano (@lizasoberano) March 22, 2021
“My heart bleeds for all the people who cannot afford not to go out and work. They literally have to choose between dying of starvation or dying of covid. Is our country really this poor to no be able to provide stimulus??” she wrote.
In March 2021, the government imposed a new kind of quarantine over Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite, and Laguna called “NCR Plus” bubble after the Philippines recorded the highest number of COVID-19 ever.
The ‘bubble’ which contains Metro Manila, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, and Cavite, restricts the residents to travel beyond the borders of the merged areas.
Liza’s tweet came after Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said on Monday, March 23, that government would not prepare aid packages for the people. The government’s move was after the provinces in the “NCR Plus” bubble was announced of having their establishments still open for business.
CNN Philippines Anchor Menchu Macapagal also wrote on Twitter that she was confused with the government’s regulations regarding the travel ban in the NCR Plus bubble.
I'm so confused. "No leisure travel, only essential travel" in NCR Plus bubble. Hours later: "Staycations, tourism allowed within the bubble." Wala pa rin ba group chat para uniform ang policies?
— Menchu Macapagal (@menchumacapagal) March 23, 2021
“I’m so confused. “No leisure travel, only essential travel” in NCR Plus bubble. Hours later: “Staycations, tourism allowed within the bubble.” Wala pa rin ba group chat para uniform ang policies?” she said.
Former Vice President Jejomar Binay poked fun at the government’s “NCR Plus” bubble implementation saying that the said lockdown variation was just a way to hide the government’s incompetence in handling the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
What’s in a name? The so-called “bubble” is in reality a lockdown. But gov’t won’t call it a lockdown because it will be an admission of their failure, neglect, and incompetence. Stop blaming the people.
— Jejomar C. Binay (@JojoCBinay) March 22, 2021
“The so-called “bubble” is in reality a lockdown. But gov’t won’t call it a lockdown because it will be an admission of their failure, neglect, and incompetence. Stop blaming the people.”
Meanwhile, the Netizens also poked fun at the Duterte Administration’s NCR Plus Bubble. Some people likened the term to phone upgrade models. Jokes came out as people expressed their frustrations over the government.
https://twitter.com/3ngrChicoooow/status/1373778179966443520
ang funny talaga ng NCR plus bubble😭✋🏽 parang bagong cellphone lang huta
— arem ⁷ saw and will see bts again! (@aremdawo_) March 23, 2021
Kulang na naman po kasi sa tamang implementation guidelines.
Di po yata intindi yun unimpeded dapat sa ncr plus bubble area.
— Zenkil Lion (@zenkil_lion) March 23, 2021
NCR
NCR Plus
NCR PlusUltra
NCR Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious— jean (@heechulsleftleg) March 23, 2021
Not to be facetious but I totally appreciate how the NCR plus ultra quips are letting everyone know about bnha/my hero academia
if you have the luxury to do so during this lockdown not lockdown, watch and read dat shet y'all.
Mask up, stay safe.@MHAOfficial @heroaca_anime https://t.co/fwl3Afjnel pic.twitter.com/L9P2F0Kcjn
— i s a b e l 🔻 (@isaberabera) March 23, 2021
https://twitter.com/danealcazar/status/1374295339809660936
in the name of economic prosperity. cases may explode inside/within that bubble in NCR MEGA RICH FORTIFIED PLUS. Imagine, now … 3k plus cases. for Manila alone
— Gao Ying j¿e (@dennisdko) March 23, 2021
https://twitter.com/yjn_pearl/status/1374262714487300103
…But I was expecting that things will be better maybe in 6 months and I might be able to start picking things up in that amount of time. Now it’s been a year. #NCRplus #GCQbubble
— Noah 🌻👩🏻 (@noahangela) March 23, 2021