Galvez to Robredo: ‘Bago po kayo mag-comment, tingnan ninyo po ang nangyayari sa baba’

Secretary Carlito Galvez, the chief implementer of the government's response against COVID-19, on Wednesday said Vice President Leni Robredo should first check the situation on the ground before making comments about the administration's efforts in curbing the pandemic.

At a virtual press briefing, Galvez was asked to comment on the statement of Robredo that it was possible to "suppress" COVID-19 even without a vaccine.

"Sinasabi ko lang po kay Madam Vice President, ang ano po namin, bago po kayo mag-comment, tingnan niyo po ang nagyayari sa baba. Ang lahat po ng ating mga LGUs, nagpapakahirap at saka ang ating mga health worker nagpapakahirap para masugpo po ang COVID-19," Galvez said.

Robredo earlier cited a study by a leading medical journal which showed that 19 countries have limited their new COVID-19 infections to five or fewer per million population per day.

The Lancet said these 19 countries include Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, China, Myanmar, Malaysia, New Zealand, Uganda, Togo, Pakistan, Latvia, Luxembourg, Uruguay, South Korea, Finland, Cuba, and Rwanda.

According to the study, COVID-19 “can and should” be suppressed through non-pharmaceutical interventions such as wearing face masks, practicing social distancing, banning mass gatherings, and protecting the vulnerable population.

'Dynamic problem'

For Galvez, the COVID-19 pandemic is a very dynamic problem, noting that it cannot be predicted. He also said it is difficult to control the spread of the virus in densely-populated areas where it is hard to practice social distancing among families.

"Hindi po natin ma-predict ang behavior ng pandemic considering lahat tayo, buong bansa at buong daigdig, ay talagang nangangapa doon sa pagresponde sa COVID-19," Galvez said.

"Sa ngayon po, nakita natin marami pong variables... ang inaano po ni VP Leni, madali kung ang variables ay kaya nating i-control. Ang nakikita natin ang maraming variables dito, unang-una discipline at saka observance ng minimum health standards. Marami po talagang nagva-violate. Kahit sinong country po na magkaroon ng ganito po ay talagang mahihirapan po tayo lalo na ang densely-populated areas na hindi tayo makapag-observe ng social distancing," he added.

Galvez further admitted that the country's health system has a lot of difficulties, including its lack of medical personnel. This lack of health workers contributed to the hardships in addressing the health crisis.

"Marami po tayong deficiencies. Kulang po talaga tayo ng nurses at saka doctors based doon sa data na binigay ng WHO standard," Galvez said.

"We have to accept na hindi po talaga tayo nakapag-prepare dahil our system is not prepared for this ano... any country, hindi po nakapag-prepare," he added.

Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte slammed Robredo for repeatedly saying that the government could have done more to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Duterte has said a vaccine is needed to control the virus. — RSJ, GMA News