Leachon says Duque may be overwhelmed, suggests reorganization of leadership

The former special adviser of the National Task Force Against COVID-19 on Wednesday proposed a reorganization of leadership within the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), saying that Health Secretary Francisco Duque III may be overwhelmed with his many responsibilities.

In an interview on Dobol B sa News TV, Dr. Tony Leachon pointed out that the Health Secretary is also the chair of the IATF as well as the chairman of the board of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

“So, therefore, papaano ka makakapag focus, eh, kada meeting ng IATF ang haba. So sino pa ang nag se-secretary of Health, sino pa ang nag chairman of the board ng PhilHealth,” Leachon said.

Leachon suggested that the IATF be handed over to Interior Secretary Eduardo Año to help Duque focus, especially amid the allegations of corruption within PhilHealth. 

“So, dapat ang IATF ay ilipat muna sa isang competent din na cabinet member… si Secretary Año kasi siya ang vice chair tsaka siya din ang head ng LGUs, nasa kanya din ang kapulisan,” he said.

“Para maka-focus si Secretary Duque sa DOH atsaka sa PhilHealth na ngayon ay tinutuligsa sa mga anomalya diyan. So kailangan natin focus dito. I think overwhelmed masyado si Secretary Duque, holding three important positions at this point in time,” he said.

GMA News Online has reached out to the DOH for comment.

In April 16, several senators filed a resolution seeking Duque's immediate resignation due to “failure of leadership, negligence, lack of foresight, and inefficiency” amid the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Duque, however, refused to step down and said that he will continue serving the country. Malacañang also said President Rodrigo Duterte wants Duque to stay at the helm of DOH.

The subject of the Health Secretary’s resignation was revived in the Senate in May after Duque said that the Philippines was already experiencing the second wave of COVID-19.

He later clarified that it was just the “first wave of sustained transmission.”

On July 15, Duque was again in the hot seat after claiming that the country had succeeded in flattening the COVID-19 curve, only to change his tune later and acknowledge that the number of cases was still rising.

However, Leachon clarified that he did not find the current officials incompetent.

“Hindi po, naka-work ko po ‘yan… mahuhusay po silang mga tao, pati ‘yung nandoon sa Cabinet. Ang nakikita ko lang po overdone po ‘yung leadership,” he said.

“Pangalawa, hindi natin nakikita ‘yung road map na dapat susundin, na dapat natin nakikita, kasi baka mga overdone in terms of execution and implementation,” he added.

Leachon said he did not want to “stir up the organization” and only suggested a reorganization of leadership so that officials “can focus on the job well.”

"Yun lang ang nakikita ko ho eh. Kasi I think overwhelmed masyado ang position ng IATF. Then we can actually be more organized and more focused and act with agility and urgently,” he said. — BM, GMA News