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Journal of Constructivist Psychology
ISSN: (Print) (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/upcy20
A Foucauldian discourse analysis of president
Duterte’s constructions of community quarantine
during COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
Merimee T. Siena
To cite this article: Merimee T. Siena (2023) A Foucauldian discourse analysis of president
Duterte’s constructions of community quarantine during COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines,
Journal of Constructivist Psychology, 36:1, 45-61, DOI: 10.1080/10720537.2022.2032503
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/10720537.2022.2032503
Published online: 31 Jan 2022.
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JOURNAL OF CONSTRUCTIVIST PSYCHOLOGY
2023, VOL. 36, NO. 1, 45–61
A Foucauldian discourse analysis of president Duterte’s
constructions of community quarantine during COVID-19
pandemic in the Philippines
Merimee T. Sienaa,b
aPsychology Department, Ateneo De Manila University, Metro Manila, Philippines; bPhilippine Normal
University, Taft Avenue, Manila, Philippines
ABSTRACT
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) first hit the Philippines in January
2020 and by March, more suspected cases were reported, compelling
the national government to create measures to secure public health
and fight the pandemic. In order to mitigate the spread of the virus,
a community quarantine in the Philippine’s National Capital Region
began on March 15, 2020. This study utilized Foucauldian Discourse
Analysis in understanding President Rodrigo Roa–Duterte’s discourses
about community quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic in the
Philippines. Two of his press conferences served as texts for discourse
analysis: (1) on March 12, 2020 when he announced measures against
COVID-19 threat, and (2) on March 16, 2020 when enhanced com-
munity quarantine was imposed. Results showed four wider dis-
courses: (1) Community Quarantine as a Political Device, (2) Community
Quarantine as a Protection of Public Health, (3) Community Quarantine
as an Act against Resistance, and (4) Community Quarantine as an
Opportunity for Bayanihan (spirit of Communal Unity) and an
Expression of Damayan (Giving Compassion and Support). Results
showed how the discourses transitioned from community quarantine
to enhanced community quarantine. The results are discussed in
relation to power and social change.
In December 2019, the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) emerged from Wuhan City of
Hubei Province in China and spread rapidly throughout the world (Wang etal., 2020).
Due to its highly contagious properties, cases increased daily worldwide, making it a
global pandemic. The virus can be destroyed in less than a minute by using common
disinfectant solutions like hydrogen peroxide or sodium hypochlorite; however, it can
live for days on surfaces depending on the atmospheric condition (Kampf etal., 2020).
Vaccines have been developed to control and minimize the spread of the virus.
Preventive measures and mitigations, like quarantine and isolation, have been imposed
by governments worldwide to fight COVID-19. These are government initiatives in
order to prevent, if not, mitigate the spread of the virus among individuals in various
local communities (Tognotti, 2013). Even though quarantine and isolation have similar
© 2022 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
CONTACT Merimee T. Siena merimee.tampus-siena@obf.ateneo.edu or https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3699-736X 38
T Concepcion St. Cooperative, Marulas Valuenzuela City 1440, Philippines.
https://doi.org/10.1080/10720537.2022.2032503
KEYWORDS
Community Quarantine;
COVID-19;
Philippines;
Foucauldian Discourse
Analysis;
46 M. T. SIENA
approaches in prevention of infection, these measures have distinctive functions in
practice.
The first suspected case of COVID-19 in the Philippines was reported on January
22, 2020, and by March 1, 20202, there were 633 suspected cases that were reported
(Edrada et al., 2020). The increasing cases of COVID-19 led the Philippine government
to implement community quarantine in the National Capital Region (NCR) to contain
the further spread of the virus. President Duterte addressed the nation by laying down
details regarding the specific measures created by the national government in coordi-
nation with the Department of Health. On March 15, 2020, NCR was under community
quarantine. However, Filipino laborers who need to work daily to meet the basic needs
of their families were regarded as one probable reason why certain health protocols
(i.e., social distancing and social immobility) were not observed. Such a scenario led
the government to impose stricter measures such as requiring non-essential workers
to work from home, restricting travels, shutting down certain transportation systems,
and limiting outdoor activities. The supposedly a short implementation of the enhanced
community quarantine was extended from April 12, 2020 to May 15, 2020 which now
included the entire mainland of Luzon. With these pronouncements, there were mul-
tiple meanings ascribed to the concept of community quarantine that this research
sought to study. Moreover, how President Duterte created the meanings of community
quarantine has important implications for how he has thought, spoken, and acted
during the pandemic. Being the president of the country, this also has implications
for how local government officials, other branches of the government, and the Filipinos
have thought, spoken, and acted during the pandemic. How Duterte has made sense
of the pandemic has had social and political consequences.
This research examines the discourses behind the execution of the community
quarantine in different parts of the Philippines. Perhaps unveiling the meanings ascribed
to the discourses of President Duterte related to community quarantine will position
anyone to better contribute to public health during a global pandemic. It may also
help to understand the agenda achieved in constructing these discourses and the
positioning of the social actors within specific discourses. Finally, this study examines
how these discourses can resolve the problem of COVID-19 in the Philippines.
Research questions
This study examined how President Duterte made sense of the concept of community
quarantine in the Philippines amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, this study
answered the following:
1. What are the discourses surrounding community quarantine in Duterte’s press
conferences?
2. What agenda was achieved in constructing these discourses?
3. How are social actors in the community quarantine positioned within particular
discourses?
4. How can these discourses exert inuence in resolving the problem of COVID-19
in the Philippines?
JOURNAL OF CONSTRUCTIVIST PSYCHOLOGY 47
Method
This study utilized a qualitative research approach in examining how President Duterte
made sense of the concept of community quarantine. Specifically, Foucauldian Discourse
Analysis was used to look into Duterte’s constructions of community quarantine in
his press conferences where he pronounced the implementation of community quar-
antine and enhanced community quarantine consecutively.
Data collection
Data was collected from two of Duterte’s press conferences. The first was on March
12, 2020, when he announced measures against COVID-19 threat; the second was on
March 16, 2020, when enhanced community quarantine was imposed.
Data analysis
Foucauldian Discourse Analysis (FDA) was used as a framework to analyze data. This
framework is suitable in answering the research questions because it is concerned
about the relationship between discourse and people’s subjective thoughts and feelings,
what they may do, and what conditions may bring about these actions (Willig, 2008).
FDA examines language and its roles in the constitution of social and psychological
life (Smith, 2015).
Foucauldian discourse analysis as an approach to understanding the meanings
of community quarantine
FDA is concerned with language and its use (Willig, 2008). It argues that language is
constructed based on people’s subjectivity and builds people’s social reality. It answers
questions about the relationship between discourse and how people think or feel, what
they may do relative to the discourse, and the conditions which can lead to these
actions (Willig, 2008). FDA focuses on discourse, power relations, and subjectivity.
Discourses in FDA are defined as “sets of statements that construct objects and an
array of subject positions” (Parker, 1994, p. 245). These constructions reflect certain
ways-of-being and ways-of-seeing the world. Applied to the socially constructed notion
of “community quarantine,” discourse pertains to statements, representations, and images
that construct community quarantine in particular ways. FDA may help individuals
to understand the relationship between community quarantine and how people may
think or feel, what they may do, and what conditions may take place given such
experiences.
FDA looks into various ways in which phenomena are constructed through language,
including the social, psychological, and physical effects of the discourse. With its social
constructionist orientation, it aims to understand the discourses within which people find
themselves and what they may mean to others (Jorgensen & Phillips, 2002; Willig, 2008).
It explains how subjects occupy positions within the discourse; that is, how positioning
constructs a version of reality within this spoken interaction that highlights important power
48 M. T. SIENA
relations which operate there (Arribas-Ayllon & Walkerdine, 2008). It emphasizes the role
of discourses in social processes of legitimation and power (Willig, 2015) relative to cultural,
political, and economic assumptions that frame reality in a particular society (De Guzman
& Inzon, 2011). Dominant discourses may privilege those versions of social reality as they
exist within social structures and social practices. Discourse analysis also seeks to understand
how the “discourses that people construct accomplish social objectives of legitimization,
delegitimazation, marginalization, and resistance” (De Guzman & Inzon, 2011, p. 8). Hence
in this study, FDA helps us understand how community quarantine was framed during the
COVID-19 pandemic as a social reality in the Philippines and how these constructions
achieved various social objectives.
In this study, Duterte’s discourses were transcribed verbatim and served as texts for
analysis. In analyzing the texts, Willig’s (2008) stages of analysis were followed:
• Stage 1: Discursive constructions. In this stage, the researcher identied and
highlighted how community quarantine was referred to during Duterte’s press
conferences. e researcher then explored Duterte’s discursive constructions of
community quarantine. Both implicit (vague and ambiguous) and explicit (clear
and directly stated) constructions were included. For example, community quar-
antine was constructed as “not a martial law” and Duterte explicitly said multiple
times in his speeches “this (referring to community quarantine) is not martial
law”. What was implicit in this construction was that community quarantine was
already constructed as martial law by many Filipinos because of the military
control which was why Duterte highlighted it as otherwise.
• Stage 2: Discourses. Duterte’s discursive constructions of community quarantine
were clustered into wider discourses. e researcher looked into how Duterte
constructed community quarantine in dierent ways.
• Stage 3: Action orientation. e researcher looked into the functions served by
Duterte’s discursive constructions of community quarantine and how they relate
to his other constructions of community quarantine. is stage gave a clearer
understanding of what the various constructions of community quarantine are
capable of achieving.
• Stage 4: Positioning. e researcher looked into the rights and duties attributed
to the persons mentioned in Duterte’s press conferences as these related to the
discursive constructions of community quarantine.
• Stage 5: Practice. e researcher looked into the social practices or actions under-
taken or encouraged by the social actors mentioned within the particular discourses.
• Stage 6: Subjectivity. Lastly, the researcher looked into the possible subjective
thoughts, feelings, and experiences of the particular social actors as they were
positioned within certain discursive constructions of community quarantine.
Results
Findings from this study show that the meaning constructed by Duterte about com-
munity quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines clustered around
four wider discourses: (1) community quarantine as a political device; (2) community
JOURNAL OF CONSTRUCTIVIST PSYCHOLOGY 49
quarantine as a protection of public health; (3) community quarantine as an act against
resistance; and (4) community quarantine as an opportunity for Bayanihan (spirit of
communal unity) and an Expression of Damayan (giving compassion and support)
(see Figure 1).
Community quarantine as a political device
With the COVID-19 crisis in the Philippines, the government played a crucial role in
planning and implementing measures to address the threat of the pandemic. Community
quarantine, as declared on March 15, 2020, was projected as a political device which
enforced health and safety measures. Law enforcement was primarily executed by the
police and the military with commands coming from the national government.
Executive order: Urgency to structure in the community
Filipinos expected a clear and organized plan from the government; hence, community
quarantine was instituted via an executive order, with the aim to provide structure for
the community. Discursively positioning the executive department of the government
as the creator of the executive order achieves the goal of legitimizing community
quarantine. As the quarantine measures against COVID-19 were legitimized, they
enforced community quarantine as an order to be implemented by local government
officials – especially mayors and barangay captains.
As an executive order, local government officials were given the authority to decide
whether to exercise their jurisdiction under community quarantine (provincial
Figure 1. Constructions of community quarantine during COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines.
50 M. T. SIENA
quarantine, municipality-wide quarantine, or barangay-wide quarantine). This depended
on the number of infected persons within their locality. Furthering this, on March 16,
2020, Duterte empowered the mayors to execute ordinances to help protect public
health, even without convening the national government. This is reflected in the fol-
lowing excerpts from Duterte’s March 16 press conference:
“And that is why mayors can now go ahead and issue, not really ordinances but execu-
tive orders to make the environment of their municipality more conducive to a healing
process. ere is no need to wait for the government to convene with the city council
because with this public health emergency, you can ask the mayor responsible to exe-
cute the laws of the land, the ordinance plus the national government. So you do not
need to ask or wait for… Because I have heard somewhere or maybe I’ve heard it on
TV that other municipalities are still waiting. With this emergency, no need (to wait).
Just go ahead and the mayor will do it for us. So there is no more ruckus, no debate.
Just the mayor. And he can come up with any measure to protect public health, public
interest, public order, public safety, and whatever is needed to make life more livable
in your place.” – (March 16, 2020)
In addition, failure to abide by the national government’s orders and implement quar-
antine measures and other measures to safeguard public health may place public
officials under negligence of their duty.
“Barangay captains, listen. is is a mandatory duty. It does not have a law because the
proclamation itself suggests that there is really a need for you to work with the govern-
ment. And if you violate this, then you can be liable for dereliction of duty or other
regulatory measures which you are supposed to do. And do not do it, and then you
violate the law.” – (March 16, 2020)
The construction of community quarantine through an executive order is reminiscent
of a linguistic semantics study of COVID-19 related to quarantine in Ukraine, which
showed that the locals perceived quarantine as a bureaucratic response referring to
the introduction of official standards and regulations by the government (Shymko &
Babadzhanova, 2020). In the Philippines and in Ukraine, quarantine referred to the
legal and medical aspects of state regulation aimed at the regulation of public aware-
ness and structure.
Law enforcement subject to compliance and punishments
As community quarantine was invoked via an executive order, it imposed and demanded
submission by Filipinos, and it positioned noncompliance as an act punishable under
the law. In many parts of Duterte’s speech, he highlighted that the quarantine measures
must be obeyed by all Filipinos to show that they are responsible citizens of the country:
“So you have duties to perform, avoid trouble with the law. Avoid trouble with anybody.
Just in the meantime, follow. But there, stay home and study. at is my advice.
…from a simple violation of the rule, it will now ripen into a crime that is punishable by
law. And you can go to prison, that’s the problem. I do not want you to be apprehended
by the military and the police. If I were you, if you are advised to obey, you will not
lose anything. Just obey. It’s for your own good.” – (March 12, 2020)
JOURNAL OF CONSTRUCTIVIST PSYCHOLOGY 51
As Duterte imposed quarantine measures via an executive order to be implemented
by the local government and complied with by Filipinos, feelings of anger and disap-
pointment toward those who considered the situation as non-serious and those who
would commit violations emerged. Law was enforced, compliance was expected, and
punishments were imposed.
Community quarantine as a protection of public health
The discourses under this theme exude the concept of community quarantine as a
means to protect and safeguard public health. In the succeeding discourses, Duterte
emphasized the health dangers posed by the virus to the national population. Hence,
community quarantine is regarded as an instrument to mitigate the spread of COVID-19
in the Philippines, and at some extent, the best solution to ensure the health safety
of Filipinos.
Philippines under the state of public health emergency
Community quarantine was strengthened because of the perceived bigger dangers of
the disease. Community quarantine was suggested by the Philippine Department of
Health (DOH) as the country’s public health was raised to code red sublevel two
which means that there was already a continuous transmission of the virus. Community
quarantine measures was found to be the government’s means to protect Filipinos
against COVID-19:
“e DOH had to explain to the public this Code Red Sublevel 2. is is the highest as
prescribed by the WHO. We are at the maximum level and it’s really for the protection
of humanity…
e purpose is to protect and defend you from COVID-19. en the purpose of the
government is to see to it that things are in order.” – (March 12, 2020)
Feelings of hope to protect public health were evident. However, the initial measures
against the virus failed as the number of Filipinos infected by COVID-19 increased.
The Philippines was then put under the State of Public Health Emergency and imple-
mentation of enhanced community quarantine was urgently called for. This discourse
achieves the action orientation of emphasizing the dangers of the disease and recog-
nizing the urgency of the implementation of enhanced community quarantine:
“To my fellowmen, maybe you are underestimating this problem. at’s why you continue
to make close contacts. en suddenly the problem will explode into something bigger.
So whether or not it is severe or it is just minor, maybe not as serious as the other
medical crisis before, we are put on notice that it is really dangerous for now. ere is
danger.” – (March 16, 2020)
This construction of community quarantine was similar with that of the Ukrainians’.
Quarantine was ascribed as a measure to preserve health (Shymko & Babadzhanova,
2020). Community quarantine was constructed as a measure to maintain and promote
health through isolating the “healthy” from the “infected” for a good cause.
52 M. T. SIENA
Solution in the absence of a vaccine
Community quarantine was prescribed as the solution to mitigate the spread of the
COVID-19 virus because vaccines had yet to be developed. Duterte emphasized that
the disease was found to have no cure and that the country was already experiencing
a health crisis. This idea was made apparent in the following discursive
constructions:
“e crisis is very, very clear. COVID-19 is spreading all throughout the country. What
we have here is that there is no cure. We cannot buy any medicine from the pharmacy
to cure COVID-19. It’s a virus.” – (March 12, 2020)
In addition, the government sensed that Filipinos were not taking COVID-19 measures
and the threats of the virus seriously. Therefore, the declaration of state of health
crisis combined with the emphasis of the dangers of the virus achieved the goal of
increasing support for community quarantine:
“e virus is here. It’s a serious one. It’s true. Do not underestimate it, do not minimize it.
…Maybe this would create a public disturbance disorder. But I think it’s just because you
want to help everybody, including yourself and your family…
…My fellow Filipinos, I fully understand the apprehension that you feel. And I know it
will be dicult for many of us in the next few days while this quarantine is in eect.
Do not be afraid. I am telling you, do not be afraid.” – (March 16, 2020)
It seems that the feeling of fear may be unearthed from the discourses of Duterte as
it appears that there was no cure for the disease. Additionally, Duterte seems to insin-
uate that he is angry toward the continuous spread of the virus as expressed in the
following excerpts:
“When you sneeze, the virus can spread. I would like to pronounce it ‘the virus’ because
I feel anger towards it.
…If you have boiling oil, pour it on the virus. I am mad at that virus.” – (March 16, 2020)
Community quarantine as an act against resistance
The first implementation of community quarantine was unsuccessful and so another
press conference was immediately held in order to impose stricter community quarantine
measures. In the local context, this was known as “enhanced community quarantine.”
It was observed that even when there was an announcement of community quarantine
via a mandatory executive order, safety protocols such as physical distancing were not
followed. Even with the threats of the COVID-19 virus, Filipinos were not taking the
situation seriously; hence, the government saw that there was resistance among them.
Controlling resistance and minimizing transmission through a lockdown
In his speeches, Duterte was being careful in using the term lockdown to describe
community quarantine because it could give negative impressions and panic the public.
However, community quarantine as a lockdown achieved its action orientation of
JOURNAL OF CONSTRUCTIVIST PSYCHOLOGY 53
describing community quarantine in the simplest way; it increased understanding of
the procedures and processes during the quarantine period. These are reflected in the
following lines from both Duterte’s press conferences:
“Community quarantine is hereby imposed in the entire Metro Manila and in other areas.
e LGUs are advised to abide by the following guidelines imposing localized community
quarantine in their respective jurisdiction. For Manila, we do not want to use the scary
term lockdown but it’s a lockdown. ere is no struggle of power there. ere is no
conict, no war. It is a matter of protecting and defending you from COVID-19. at’s
it about.” – (March 12, 2020)
“I made a pronouncement last ursday approving the placement of the National Capital
Region under Community Quarantine. ese other countries, because of the sensitivity
of the Filipinos, misunderstood the Task Force. ey wanted it to be more acceptable
in the book. But actually in other towns, countries, it’s really a lockdown. Let’s stay at
home. How do we control the spread of the virus if you will continue going out and
mingle with others?” – (March 16, 2020)
Framing community quarantine as a lockdown positioned Filipinos to stay in their
homes while the local government made sure that their constituents were provided
with basic necessities such as food while limiting social mobility. This discourse
achieved its action orientation of delegitimizing social mobility of the people during
the period of enhanced community quarantine. Within this discourse, movement was
limited, travel and mass gatherings were prohibited, and work and classes were con-
textualized at home. This discourse reflected feelings of anger toward those who did
not abide by the stay-at-home policy combined with feelings of disappointment among
those who did not take the policy seriously. Similarly, in Ukraine, people also construed
quarantine as a restriction of movement (similar to the construction of community
quarantine as a lockdown), which forced passivity on people (Shymko etal., 2020).
Fear, disobedience, freedom, and democracy
The Philippine government was careful in associating community quarantine with a
lockdown. Constructing community quarantine as a lockdown created feelings of fear
among Filipinos because of the restrictions to perform regular duties, especially at
work (which could badly affect people’s economic resources). In his words, Duterte
ascribed fear among Filipinos as reflected in his discourses: “Maybe this would create
public disturbance disorder” (March 12, 2020).
Community quarantine was further enhanced on March 16, 2020 because the
executive order on March 12 was not followed. Community quarantine prompted
disobedience among Filipinos, many of whom did not follow basic health protocols
such as wearing of face masks, observing physical distance, and staying in their
homes. In both of his speeches, Duterte emphasized the importance of abiding by
the executive order and not arguing with the police and the military. The word
“obey” was mentioned ten times in both his speeches relative to obeying the police
and the military.
“…you feel as if you will die when you stay home. en you make all sorts of excuses.
But you know, there will be ocers. at it’s an American practice when you go outside
and just hang around; you have nothing else to do but shout. e police and the military
54 M. T. SIENA
will approach you. en when you say that you just wanted to stay outside, then you
have a problem, maybe you are arrogant.” – (March 12, 2020)
Use of the word “American practice” in this discourse was associated with freedom and
democracy. For the government it meant disobedience, but for Filipinos it meant freedom
and democracy. The lockdown might have impeded every Filipino’s freedom; hence, it
challenges the country’s sense of democracy. This discourse was reconciled by highlighting
that both the lockdown and mandating obedience was happening in every country
whether autocratic or democratic; these trying times demanded unity and cooperation
between the government and its citizens. The Philippines would not lose its democracy
and the Filipinos their freedom just because of the community quarantine.
“But I said, those are the things that can happen in a democracy. ere are police all the
time. In any type of government, may it be autocratic, dictatorship, we need the police.
Here, we practice democracy and we really need to act as one.” – (March 16, 2020)
Fighting resistance but not through martial law
An Interagency Task Force (IATF) was created by the executive government to facilitate
the response against COVID-19. The Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces
of the Philippines coordinated with the IATF in the implementation of the community
quarantine. Duterte, in his first press conference, directly mentioned that community
quarantine should not be equated to martial law despite the presence of military
control. This is reflected in these excerpts:
“e Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines in coordination
with the Interagency Task Force shall be called upon to ensure eective and orderly
implementation of the above measures. is is not martial law. It’s not even something
extraordinary but it ought to be, again, nothing except to ght the virus and to impose
exact compliance.” – (March 12, 2020)
In his second press conference, Duterte further emphasized and even gave a more
extensive explanation of why community quarantine is not martial law. He said that
military control was merely to fight against the threats of COVID-19.
“is is not martial law. Under the Constitution, martial law is declared when there is
invasion, rebellion, or when public safety requires it. You say that when the freedom of
movement is curtailed. is is martial law. is is not martial law. Martial law is when
there is rebellion, conict, and public safety requires it. Also when there is invasion.
at’s martial law. But there is none. ere is no invasion, there is no rebellion and pub-
lic safety does not require it. Martial law is not what we need. is is not martial law.
Do not be scared. No one will display their guns except the armed forces or the police.
With martial law, our enemies are those who are attacking the country –those who are
rebelling. But this time, our enemy is COVID-19.” – (March 16, 2020)
With this, the military and the police were positioned as implementers of community
quarantine, with the primary task of facilitating the restriction of movement, observing
social distancing, and maintaining peace and order. This wider discourse achieved its
action orientation of emphasizing that there is no power struggle between the military,
the police, and the Filipino civilians; this positioned Filipinos to behave obediently.
As quoted:
JOURNAL OF CONSTRUCTIVIST PSYCHOLOGY 55
“there is no struggle of power there; not even conict or war. It is a matter of protect-
ing and defending you from COVID-19, that’s all about it. It has nothing to do with
the power of the military or the power of the police or my power or these guys beside
me. No, it’s not an issue. It’s just an issue of protecting public interest, of public health.
at’s all.” – (March 12, 2020)
In addition, this wider discourse also achieved its action orientation of decreasing fear
toward the military and the police, who were framed as just doing their duty to keep
peace and order amidst the pandemic:
“I need the military not to ght with you guys. Do not be afraid of the military, they
are your people. e armed forces are there to serve you; they are your soldiers so
do not be afraid when they are there as civilian authorities. We are just following the
orders from the Department of Health to implement this or that and so obey them. Do
not try to play with martial law as it will just create public disturbance. It’s always the
military who keeps things in the country in order. ey make sure that everyone in the
Philippines is safe.” – (March 12, 2020)
Further, this discourse achieved its action orientation of increasing love and appreci-
ation toward the military and the police given their sacrifices of risking their lives for
the country. Duterte made mention of this in his second press conference:
“Again, do not fear. ere is nothing to fear about the military and the police. ey are
just there to execute orders. at is not their order. It is our order. So I am telling you
this again and again. You should love your military men. ey die during war. ey go
home inside their cons. You should feel for your soldiers and policemen. ey are not
your enemies.” – (March 16, 2020)
Feelings of disgust emerged toward those who were against the community quarantine
and anger toward those who compared the community quarantine with martial law
after the police and the military were deployed. The military and the police’s display
of their guns were meant to execute peace and order and to make sure that every
Filipino abided by the community quarantine protocols. Even with the presence of the
police and the military in streets, martial law was taken out of the picture.
Community quarantine as an opportunity for Bayanihan (spirit of communal
unity) and an expression of Damayan (giving compassion and support)
As Duterte announced the implementation of community quarantine in his first press
conference, negative conceptions and feelings (such as fears and worries) were asso-
ciated with community quarantine. In his second press conference, he called for unity
among Filipinos in fighting against the pandemic. The sense of Bayanihan (spirit of
communal unity) was invoked to help Filipinos mitigate each other’s hardships and
the sense of Damayan (giving compassion and support) was encouraged to ensure that
each Filipino would not suffer alone and would receive help during the crisis.
Bayanihan (spirit of communal unity) and Damayan (giving compassion and
support)
In this last wider discourse, community quarantine was conceptualized as a call for
Bayanihan (spirit of communal unity), achieving the action orientation of mitigating
56 M. T. SIENA
the hardship which can be experienced as a result of the community quarantine.
Businesses and corporations were positioned as partners of the government in allevi-
ating the negative implications of community quarantine to the economy and to the
local workers:
“To Mr. Ramon Ang for his good grasp of the problem. He got it. It’s not a matter of
food. It’s not a matter of getting back your capital. It’s not a matter of business. But it’s
a matter of helping one another…
It was an issue of people’s interest. But I’d like to address those who are rich, for example
the Pangilinans, the Ayalas and the Cosons; these big companies, Robinsons. You might
be able to alleviate the situation by just understanding also the plight of the workers who
are not working now. Lawfully, you are not in the position to demand. But I said, please
understand, please try to help, kindly help.” – (March 16, 2020)
This wider discourse also positioned big businesses to support small ones and employers
to care for the welfare of their employees. Thus, achieving its action orientation of
increasing feelings of compassion and consideration toward Filipinos who were adversely
affected by the community quarantine.
“Big businesses helping small enterprises. Big companies help small-time business owners
so their company will not die. I urge our business leaders to nd ways to help small
businesses and ease the burden which is felt by the ordinary citizens right now. In rela-
tion to this, I would be happy that several big businesses and companies have already
expressed their willingness to partner with the government in this time of crisis. I have
mentioned a little while ago, the businesses that I think are already into the activity of
helping our medium scale businessmen. So I hope that I will be able to see this act of
big businesses helping the small ones. I want to express my gratitude in advance. ank
you from the bottom of my heart.” – (March 16, 2020)
In addition, this wider discourse positioned Filipinos as one with the government’s
hope to mitigate the hardship among fellow Filipinos amidst this pandemic and as
responsible for the welfare of other Filipinos. Negative implications of community
quarantine awaited Filipinos, especially the poor. Filipinos were called for Bayanihan
(spirit of communal unity) which is the act of caring and being considerate of fellow
Filipinos during these trying times. This discourse expressed empathy toward those
who will be or were affected by the community quarantine and hope that the hardships
will be mitigated.
Filipinos showing solidarity with fellow Filipinos
Community quarantine was expected to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus
but at the same time hit the country’s economy negatively. Being unable to go out
and work and shutting down several establishments affected the daily wage earners
and the poor. Bayanihan (spirit of communal unity) refers to a “communal voluntary
effort to achieve a common goal” (Barameda & Barameda, 2011, p. 4). During com-
munity quarantine, this encourage Filipinos to help one another alleviate the experience
of hardship. Bayanihan entails a sense of solidarity among Filipinos, especially when
Filipinos with more than enough resources assume the burden of another who has
limited to no resources.
JOURNAL OF CONSTRUCTIVIST PSYCHOLOGY 57
“e problem is really the economy. ose huge enterprises may consider paying the 13th
month pay in advance or pay the workers at least half of their salary even when they did
not come to work as a way of showing your solidarity with the Filipinos at this critical
time.” – (March 16, 2020)
Big businesses were encouraged to help by considering giving employees their 13th
month pay in advance or paying them half of their regular salary even when they did
not go to work for months because of the community quarantine. Barangay captains
were mandated to go around the community and make sure that every household was
provided with food. Every Filipino was called to help each other. Solidarity meant
being as one with the government’s goal of mitigating the negative economic effects
of the pandemic to the Filipinos
Chinese and philippine government expressing compassion and support
(Damayan) toward Filipinos
The present government is on good terms with the Chinese government. The sense
of Damayan (expressing compassion and support) was expressed by China as Duterte
mentioned in his first press conference:
“President Xi Jinping, for all his goodness to us, brought me a letter and said that he is
willing to help. All we need to do is to ask and for me, maybe there will be a time if
things deteriorate that I have to call on China for help. He said that they have managed
the crisis very well in their country and he is very much willing to help if needed. So
to the Chinese government, to the people, especially to President Xi Jinping, thank you
for the consoling words.” – (March 12, 2020)
Further, in most of Duterte’s speeches, he emphasized the government’s love and con-
cern for the people:
“We shall make sure that during these trying times, all of you will feel the government’s
concern for your welfare. I am telling you, do not fear.” – (March 16, 2020)
During the community quarantine where fear and hardships seemed to develop, the
Philippine government gave an assurance that every support Filipinos need in these
trying times shall be provided by the local and national government.
Discussion
The results of this study showed how community quarantine as a response to address
the threats of COVID-19 in the Philippines were constructed into: (1) a political device
where it was ascribed as an executive order and an instrument for law enforcement;
(2) a protection of public health when the country was placed under the state of
public health emergency which served as the solution in the absence of a vaccine; (3)
an act against resistance as community quarantine brought fear and disobedience and
challenged freedom and democracy; and (4) as an opportunity for Bayanihan (spirit
of communal unity) and a call for Damayan (giving compassion and support) miti-
gating the hardships experienced by Filipinos in these trying times. It showed how
community quarantine transitioned into enhanced community quarantine as the national
58 M. T. SIENA
government deemed the urgency of implementing stricter measures after failing to
secure the execution of movement restrictions and physical distancing protocols.
From the vantage point of power, the national government took into account that
the power came from the Department of Health (DOH), as the recommendation to
implement community quarantine was a product of their study of the trends and
threats of COVID-19 in the country. Power was given to the health department because
community quarantine was portrayed as a solution after declaring a state of public
health emergency. Even so, considering that community quarantine was imposed via
an executive order, the national government was given the power over and against
those who would not abide by the quarantine protocols; even local government officials
who would not abide by their duties and responsibilities were threatened with removal
from service. This power was transcended by the officials who were directed to imple-
ment the order to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19, especially the military and
the police. Community quarantine was constructed as an act against those who would
resist – those who would not recognize the power given to those who were expected
to implement it. Similar with how Ukrainians viewed community quarantine (Shymko
et al., 2020), Filipinos took it as more of a restriction rather than direct solution to
the spread of the virus. Even when Duterte emphasized that there was no power
struggle between the military or police and the local citizens, many were arrested for
violating community quarantine protocols – such as a group of volunteer workers
conducting a feeding program for the poor (Perez, 2020), and a foreign national living
in an exclusive subdivision who allegedly assaulted a police officer when his house-
keeper was caught watering plants outside their house without wearing a facemask
(CNN Philippines, 2020). Some were even killed when citizens did not follow military
or police orders. For example, a mentally-challenged retired soldier was shot to death
when he resisted returning home to follow community quarantine protocols (Marquez,
2020). Meanwhile, there were reported violations of the community quarantine com-
mitted by high level authorities but most of them did not receive any sanction or are
still under investigation – such as the case of the Chief of Police who violated com-
munity quarantine protocols when he celebrated his birthday with other cops despite
the ban on mass gatherings (Talabong, 2020). The Chief of Police was even promoted
(in the middle of the global pandemic) to Chief of the Philippine National Police
despite facing criminal and administrative charges for violating community quarantine
protocols (Lopez, 2020). Another case involved a senator who went shopping in a
grocery store despite showing COVID-19 symptoms and accompanying his pregnant
wife to a hospital after testing positive for the virus (Esguerra, 2020). Even when there
were clear violations committed by the senator, his case was dismissed due to lack of
probable cause (Ramos, 2021). These observations provide an understanding of how
discourses can be used to justify unequal power relations in the society and the gov-
ernment’s double standards. Perhaps with these unequal power relations and double
standards, Filipinos ascribed negative sentiments (Pastor, 2020) in their construction
of the community quarantine.
The results of this study may also be analyzed from the standpoint of social change.
The construction of community quarantine as an opportunity for Bayanihan (spirit of
communal unity) and an expression of Damayan (giving compassion and support)
JOURNAL OF CONSTRUCTIVIST PSYCHOLOGY 59
responded to the social consequences of community quarantine. Both Bayanihan and
Damayan as indigenous values strengthened the resilience of Filipinos and rebuilt
many lives after crises and disasters (Barameda & Barameda, 2011). Bayanihan is also
similar to social capital, which is important among poor communities where other
forms of capital are lacking (Eadie & Su, 2018). During the COVID-19 pandemic,
Republic Act Number 11469, otherwise known as the “Bayanihan (spirit of communal
unity) to Heal as One Act,” helped in immediately carrying out measures to respond
to the pandemic – including mobilization of assistance to individuals and families
affected by the community quarantine, immediate provision of healthcare, and protec-
tion of the public health. The Act also provided measures to ensure protection of
health workers, to authorize alternative work arrangements, to allow grace periods for
the payment of loans and residential rents, and to implement cash and non-cash
assistance to Filipinos, especially the poor. Bayanihan was seen as a positive value for
serving as a coping mechanism for Filipinos but researchers warned against romanti-
cizing and over-reliance on it because it shifts responsibility away from the government
before, during, and after any crisis (Su & Mangada, 2016). Similarly, Bayanihan created
resentment and triggered social divisiveness because of the failure to transparently and
efficiently distribute resources during natural disasters (Eadie & Su, 2018).
Conclusion
By identifying the discourses that help shape how community quarantine was con-
structed in the Philippines, one can position himself to better contribute to public
health during a global pandemic. This study helps in making informed decisions and
pursuing positive actions in resolving the problems of the COVID-19 pandemic in
positioning the social actors within specific discourses.
This study contributes to understanding discourses within a culture, as well as its
implications for those who live within it. Research of this kind is needed to understand
the agenda achieved in constructing discourses surrounding not just community quar-
antine, but also other measures implemented to respond to this crisis and the posi-
tioning of social actors within these specific discourses.
Reexivity
I acknowledge my position as a Filipino and resident of the National Capital Region
where community quarantine was first implemented. I also acknowledge my stance as
being neither pro- or anti-Duterte. I see myself as a citizen with critical judgment
rather than someone who goes for or goes against the government. Such positions
might have affected my analysis of the text in this study. I recognize that the results
represent only one interpretation and that the discourses that emerged from this study
are based on my own reading of the texts and my interpretation of Duterte’s press
conferences as I watched them while he delivered them live. However, as a researcher,
I am responsible to exercise fidelity to the subject matter (Levitt et al., 2017) in the
conduct of qualitative research. Thus, I conducted multiple readings of the texts and
watched Duterte’s press conferences several times before analyzing the texts using
60 M. T. SIENA
Foucauldian Discourse Analysis. I also engaged in the process of continuously revising
the discourses that I identified to ensure that the findings capture Duterte’s construc-
tions of community quarantine. These were undertaken to ensure the trustworthiness
of the findings.
Acknowledgement
The author acknowledges Mr. Marro Cama and Dr. Nico Canoy for helping in the conceptu-
alization of this study. Gratitude is also extended to Mr. Marro Cama and Ms. Aimee Tampus
for helping in the transcriptions of Duterte’s press conferences, and to Mr. Al Ryanne Gatcho
for editing the manuscript. The author is thankful to the Reviewers and the Editor for providing
insightful comments for the improvement of the entire manuscript.
Disclosure statement
e author reports there are no competing interests to declare.
ORCID
Merimee T. Siena http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3699-736X
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