Palace to Robredo: Gov’t doing periodic assessment of COVID-19 response

Malacañang on Monday said the Duterte administration has been conducting periodic assessments of its COVID-19 response after Vice President Leni Robredo questioned the one-year extension of the state of calamity in the Philippines.

Robredo said on Sunday that making periodic assessments of the country’s progress in its fight against the coronavirus would be better than extending the state of calamity until September 12, 2021.

“Again, simply blind and deaf to the fact that [for] the periodic reporting, all you have to do is go to the webpage of the DOH [Department of Health],” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a televised briefing.

“All she has to do is to consult the regular report being submitted by the Office of the President to the Congress pursuant to the Bayanihan 1 and Bayanihan 2.”

President Rodrigo Duterte said last week that the state of calamity can either be earlier lifted or extended as “circumstances may warrant.”

Asked what would prompt the President to lift the state of calamity, Roque said: “Kung mayroon na pong bakuna at mayroon nang gamot.”

Duterte said the extension would allow the national and local governments to continue channeling funds to pandemic response, and to continue providing basic services to the affected population.

The extension will also allow the government to monitor and control prices of basic necessities and prime commodities. — BM, GMA News