Abstract
The Philippine response to COVID-19 has been described as being one of the longest and strictest lockdowns in the world. Why has the Philippine government relied heavily on draconian measures in its “war” against COVID-19? And what discourse informed the framing of its response as a war against the virus? This article argues that the government’s reliance on draconian measures was a consequence of securitising COVID-19, appreciating the virus as an “existential threat.” The securitisation of COVID-19 was reinforced with a narrative characterising the situation of the country as being at war against an “unseen enemy.” This war-like narrative, however, invariably produced a subject, the pasaway. As the perpetual enemy of health and order, the pasaway became the target of disciplining and policing. The targeting of the pasaway was informed by deep-seated class prejudices and Duterte’s authoritarian tendencies.
Highlights
The Philippine response to COVID-19 has been described as being one of the longest and strictest lockdowns in the world
Why has the Philippine government relied heavily on draconian measures in its “war” against COVID-19? And what discourse informed the framing of its response as a war against the virus?
Duterte has responded to the COVID-19 crisis as he did with other crises perceived to pose a threat to the nation’s integrity and well-b eing such as illegal drugs; that is, to impose discipline and order through brute force
Summary
The Philippine response to COVID-19 has been described as being one of the longest and strictest lockdowns in the world. The securitisation of COVID-19 was produced by framing the pandemic response as a war against a so-c alled “unseen enemy.” To wage this war, the government required extraordinary powers and the unconditional co-o peration of Filipinos.
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