[OPINION] The new normal, 366 days later Mar 17, 2021 2:59 PM PHT John Leo C. Algo It has now been a full year since the Philippines entered a “new normal.” The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced the country to go on lockdown to limit the spread of the coronavirus, and it is a state in which it has remained to this day. The Duterte administration's management of this crisis has been disastrous. While neighboring countries such as Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam have been successful in curbing the spread of COVID-19, the Philippines continues to record thousands of new cases on a daily basis, with no signs of slowing down. The economy is experiencing a recession, which is one of the worst among developing nations and whose impacts would be felt for years to come.