Robredo on COVID-19: Problema natin hindi tayo naging maagap

The Philippine Government, in its response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, had not been proactive, Vice President Leni Robredo said Tuesday.

"Ang problema kasi natin hindi tayo naging maagap. Marami tayong kailangang ginawa February at saka March, parang ngayon pa lang tayo humahabol,” Robredo said in an interview on Quarantined with Howie Severino.

The country reported its first COVID-19 case as early as January - a 38-year-old woman who came from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the outbreak. On March 16, months later, President Rodrigo Duterte placed Luzon under an enhanced community quarantine.

Robredo problem had been mass testing - an issue that was raised several times during the course of the pandemic.

“Halimbawa ‘yung testing, as early as April and May ‘yung targets natin was 30,000 tests a day. Parang na-reach lang natin 'yun July. So nakita natin na malaking bagay, malaking bagay noong na-reach natin kasi we found out na grabe na ‘yung community transmission,” the Vice President explained.

Though the country had reached the target, Robredo said that this was not enough.

"Pero given ‘yung positivity rate, tingin ko kailangan pa nating i-increase. Hindi na sapat 'yung 30,000. Hindi na sapat ‘yung 30,000 kasi ‘yung goal natin is less than five because that’s the WHO standard,” she said.

"So kailangan i-increase pa natin 'yung tests. Ngayon humabol na tayo. Mayroon na tayong 'yung One Hospital Program. I think that’s a very laudable project. Marami pa siyang problema pero the mere fact na mayroon na, laudable 'yun. The mere fact na mayroon na tayong contact tracing app finally kahit feeling ko sobrang late na ‘to pero at least mayroon na,” she added.

On August 16, the government formally launched the One Hospital Command system which aims to improve the referral system and interoperability of public and private health care facilities catering to COVID-19 patients in the country.

Recommendations heeded

According to Robredo, many of her suggestions and recommendations against COVID-19 were heeded by the Philippine government

In July, the Vice President published the suggestions she sent to Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque on how to improve the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

"Halimbawa isa sa pinakauna kong suggestion was ‘wag n’yo nang ire-report ‘yung “new” at saka “old” cases kasi it only confuse people, hindi naman siya relevant. So ‘yun tinanggal na ‘yun,” she said.

Another recommendation she made was to increase the country’s testing capacity, the Vice President said.

“[S]ince March sabi na ako nang sabi na ‘yung testing, testing, testing. Parang hindi lang dinismiss pero parang before they were opposed to it,” Robredo said.

The Department of Health (DOH) had argued that mass testing for COVID-19 was not possible as the Philippines did not have enough resources.

"Parang sinabi nila na hindi magma-mass testing kasi hindi naman 'yun effective remedy para i-control ‘yung transmission and yet ginawa rin. Ginawa rin 'yung testing. Marami pang iba,” she added.

“So marami sa suggestions na ginagawa naman, hindi lang pinapalabas na dahil sa suggestions natin which makes a lot of sense pero okay lang sa amin as long as ginawa. ’Yung sa akin, Howie, ano lang naman I think responsibility ko rin because we’ve been talking to a lot of people also, not just experts pero people on the field na nagpapaabot,” she later added.

Robredo said the recommendations she gave were developed in coordination with other experts.

"Ito kasi, ‘yung mga recommendation natin are not our own. ‘Yung recommendations namin were culled from our discussions with economists, with health experts,” she said.

Watch the interview here. — DVM, GMA News