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Shift to GCQ must be science-based, says Drilon
By DONA MAGSINO,GMA News Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said Monday further relaxing the protocols against COVID-19 must be backed by science as the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) period for Metro Manila and six other provinces is set to end in less than a week.
"It is up to the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) but we would like to see a science-based decision. The number of cases may not be doubling but it is still increasing," Drilon said in a message.
"It just breached 14,000 yesterday and another 6,000 who tested positive remain to be validated. They may be silent carriers who unknowingly spread the virus. Where are they?" he added.
Members of the Metro Manila Council are set to meet this Monday to discuss whether to recommend an extension or downgrade of the MECQ which will end on May 31.
Drilon also reiterated that the public's confidence in the government's response against COVID-19 has been marred by the blunders of those who are leading it.
"The confidence of our people on the handling of COVID-19 has eroded because of the lapses of the Department of Health, primarily by Sec. Duque, and the violations committed by the implementers of the lockdown," he said.
Duque has been in hot water for announcing last week that the Philippines is already experiencing the "second wave" of COVID-19 transmission—claiming the first wave happened in January when three imported cases from China were detected in the country.
Drawing a lot of questions and speculations, the DOH chief clarified that the country is having its "first major wave of sustained transmission.”
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President Rodrigo Duterte also ordered an investigation on the alleged overpriced COVID-19 testing package of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) after Drilon pointed out that the private sector has made the procedure viable at half the cost.
Philhealth has lowered the cost of its P8,150 testing package to only P4,200 after the overpricing allegation.
Meanwhile, the mañanita controversy of Metro Manila's top cop Police Major General Debold Sinas also raised questions on the fair application of quarantine protocols.
Sinas and 18 others are facing a criminal complaint for the incident but Duterte said he refuses to remove or transfer the police official from the National Capital Region Police Office.
On the other hand, vendor Joseph “Mang Dodong” Jimeda was jailed for 12 days for going to Navotas Fish Market without a travel pass to buy fish which he would sell.
As of May 24, the Philippines recorded a total of 14,035 cases of COVID-19 with 3,249 recoveries and 868 deaths.—AOL, GMA News