Pinoys don't like COVID-19 response? It's backed by science, says DOH

The government has long been guided by science and experts in its response versus COVID-19, the Department of Health has said.

The DOH released the statement in reaction to a  survey which found that many Filipinos disapprove of the Duterte administration’s pandemic response.

“From the beginning, the DOH’s policies, guidelines, and actions have always been guided by science through our expert groups... to ensure appropriate and efficient actions for the benefit of the public and betterment of the nation,” it said in a statement.

A survey conducted by the Singapore-based ASEAN Studies Centre found that 53.7% of Philippine respondents were displeased with the government’s pandemic response, the highest across Southeast Asia.

The poll also showed that 72.2% of Filipino respondents said they wanted more scientists and medical doctors to “contribute to public policy discussions” and for the administration to “heed their advice.”

“Kung itong mga pag-aaral na ito ay makakatulong, ginagamit po natin ‘yan to further improve on what we are doing. What we are positioning on, at ang amin pong prinsipyo, tuloy tuloy lang po ang aming trabaho,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said on GMA News TV’s “Balitanghali.” 

“Ito pong mga ganitong mga klaseng studies, we accept it and we use it for us to improve but we still continue to work,” she added.

The DOH also stressed that “national recovery cannot be taken by the government alone” and urged the public to cooperate with the country’s pandemic response.

The Philippines has logged 543,282 infections with 500,335 recoveries and 11,469 deaths as of Thursday afternoon. -NB, GMA News