Another solon seeks P2-B budget for nCoV response

Another House member has filed a measure proposing a supplemental budget for the government's response to the novel coronavirus.

House Committee on Health chair Angelina Tan on Wednesday said she filed House Bill 6166 on Tuesday seeking to appropriate P2.04 billion to DOH to strengthen the country's health system response to contain the 2019-nCoV.

The amount, she said, will be used to procure adequate and appropriate surgical masks for persons under investigation and health workers, as well as personal protective equipment (PPE) needed by health workers responding to the possible cases of infection.

She added that the proposed amount is enough purchase surgical masks and PPEs over the next three months.

"To safeguard the use of the P2.04 billion supplemental fund that is being proposed, I have included a reporting mechanism to mandate the DOH to give a detailed account of the budget’s utilization," Tan said.

Albay Representative Joey Salceda also filed a similar measure on Wednesday, although he said he made some modifications from the earlier version of his bill.

Apart from allocating amounts for the purchase of surgical masks for PUIs and and health care workers as well as PPEs, Salceda is proposing the appropriation of P20 million for additional man hour service sick leave, hazard pay, night shift differential, overtime pay for epidemiologists, and for additional health care contractual workers or job orders.

"Dinagdagan ko lang siya para doon sa mga epidemiologists. Kasi ngayon, kulang talaga para sa mga epidemiologists. Kapag nagkasakit sila, charged sa sick leaves credits nila. So we need to provide incentive for the epidemiologists," Salceda said in a separate press conference.

Tan believes the government is doing its best to contain the virus. For instance, she said Interior Secretary Eduardo Año has already ordered the immediate set up of barangay health response teams, while the Department of Trade Industry has assured the commitment of a local manufacturer to make the supply of face masks available to the public.

"I share the president’s confidence that we Filipinos can surmount the challenges brought about by the emergence of the 2019 nCOV ARD," she said.

"Our health system may not be perfect but it is responsive to the situation, health protocols are in place, and the public is now slowly beginning to understand that health care is their personal responsibility as well," she added. —NB, GMA News