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Hontiveros pitches roadmap to fight COVID-19, usher economic recovery
By DONA MAGSINO,GMA NewsExpressing dissatisfaction with President Rodrigo Duterte's fifth State of the Nation Address, Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday presented her own roadmap to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a privilege speech, she said the preemptive and preventive responses should be strengthened by equipping the epidemiological and surveillance units at the local government level.
She added that the COVID-19 curve should be flattened through more efficient mass testing and faster contact tracing, especially in "high risk and densely populated communities and industries."
Hontiveros also said hospitals dedicated to COVID-19 must be complemented with alternate points-of-care by upgrading quarantine megacenters to mega treatment centers. She likewise pushed for a "one hospital command" for better coordination of health care facilities.
The service contracting of hotels as isolation and quarantine centers can further be expanded, she added.
Protecting the vulnerable and maximizing the implementation of the Universal Health Care law for COVID-19 response were also part of Hontiveros' proposed roadmap.
Moreover, the opposition senator asked for accountability from government leaders."Nobody is a sacred cow. Now more than ever, kailangan natin tiyakin na ang liderato ng DOH, na ang mga LGU, ay tapat sa kanilang tungkulin bilang mga lingkod bayan. Spending has to be tracked and participatory mechanisms such as the citizens budget tracker should be harnessed," she said.
"The people need confidence in its leaders to shepherd them through uncertain times. They do not need a Philhealth scandal. They do not need inept DOH leadership. They do not [need] the highest officials of the land claiming to be inutile in the middle of a pandemic," she added.
During the SONA, Duterte admitted that he is inutile in the West Philippine Sea dispute because China is "in possession" and the Philippines is not ready to go to war.
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She likewise said new drivers of growth must be explored through ICT and digital transformation as she pointed out that distance learning, working from home, telemedicine, and other online transactions are becoming part of the new normal.
"The President’s plan is hinged on a vaccine, but even if a vaccine comes, the economic rubble that the virus has left in its wake needs a clear action plan," Hontiveros added.
On the other hand, pro-administration Senator Francis Tolentino defended Duterte's SONA. He said several "guide posts" on moving forward had been mentioned by the President.
"With due respect, I totally disagree that the government has no concrete guidepost or plan on how to recover after this pandemic," he said during interpellation, citing the government's plan to boost the "Build, Build, Build" program among others.
Several critics expressed dismay over the alleged failure of Duterte to lay down concrete plans for COVID-19 during his fifth SONA last July 27.
Senators Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go and Imee Marcos were among those who think otherwise.
As of August 3, the Philippines recorded a total of 106,330 cases of COVID-19—the country with the second highest number of infections in Southeast Asia, next to Indonesia with 111,455 cases.
Recovered patients in the country numbered to over 65,000 while more than 2,100 died. —LDF, GMA News