4 The initial government response could be described as a heavy-handed, securitized approach. From the sudden declaration of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) that caught the public by surprise,9 and the fact that many appointees in the government's National Task Force came from active or retired security personnel,10 the prominence of security as a key component of the nation's pandemic response could not be denied. Yet, despite the mobilization of boots on the ground and the comprehensive, allof-nation approach, crucial issues hampered [the Philippines']pandemic response. First, the medical emergency exposed how unprepared the public health system is to face such a crisis. After decades of insufficient funding and investment, [the] hospitals and medical facilities suddenly found themselves at the forefront of the pandemic.11 With many health workers underpaid, facilities in dire need of resources, and the sheer number of daily cases,12 it was not surprising that the nation's healthcare system was overwhelmed during the initial surge of case s. Second, the onset of COVID-19 exacerbated existing social inequalities. With the imposition of lockdowns and restrictions on movement across the country, many livelihoods were lost or disrupted. In fact, during the first year of COVID-19, the Philippines confronted its biggest employment crisis since the Second World War, with around 17.7% or 7.3 million Filipinos unemployed in April 2020. 13 Concretely, all these factors led to widespread hardship for millions of Filipinos. As one taxi driver put it, "mahirap pag mahirap" (it's hard when you are poor).14 9 Nikko Dizon, Duterte and his generals: A shock and awe response to the pandemic, July 31, 2020, available at https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/in-depth/duterte-shock-and-awecoronavirus-pandemic-response-generals/ (last accessed November 3, 2022) 10 Nick Aspinwall, Coronavirus Lockdown Launches Manila Into Pandemonium, FOREIGN POLICY, March 14, 2020, available at https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/03/14/duterte-quarantinephilippines-coronavirus-lockdown-launches-manila-into-pandemonium/ (last accessed November 3, 2022). 11 Margaret Claire Layug, PHL patient-to-hospital bed ratio at 1:1,000 —Ejercito, GMA NEWS, February 14, 2018, available at https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/643384/phlpatient-to-hospital-bed-ratio-at-1-1-000-ejecrito/story/ (last accessed November 3, 2022). 12 Ana P Santos, Attacked & underpaid: Medics in Philippines battle stigma, virus, AL JAZEERA, April 2, 2020, available at https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/4/2/attacked-underpaid-medicsin-philippines-battle-stigma-virus (last accessed November 3, 2022). 13 Ralf Rivas, PH unemployment at all-time high with 7.3 million jobless in April 2020, RAPPLER, June 5, 2020 available at https://www.rappler.com/business/unemployment-rate-philippines-april2020/ (last accessed November 3, 2022). 14 ABS-CBN News, ‘Mahirap pag mahirap’: Taxi drivers, vendors idinaing ang mga epekto ng Luzon lockdown, March 18, 2020, available at https://news.abscbn.com/spotlight/03/18/20/mahirap-pag-mahirap-taxi-drivers-vendors-idinaing-ang-mga-epektong-luzon-lockdown (last accessed November 3, 2022).