Robredo: Ensure contact tracing, massive testing vs. COVID-19, give stimulus package

Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday suggested that massive testing, contact tracing and isolation must be conducted if authorities impose granular community quarantine as the daily COVID-19 cases soar to almost 8,000.

"7,999 cases yesterday at 15.7% positivity rate and 2.03 reproduction number. I hope we are doing massive testing, contact tracing and isolation specially in areas that are on surgical lockdowns," Robredo said in a statement posted on Facebook on Sunday.

Moreover, the vice president called for a stimulus package for those hardest-hit by the pandemic, especially those who lost their jobs.

"Hindi sapat yung binigay natin dati. Magandang halimbawa dito ang Malaysia. Naging sobrang masama din yung cases nila when they started to reopen. But they were able to arrest the situation. Maraming ginawa to achieve this. Isa doon, 6 nang stimulus packages yung naibigay nila," said Robredo.

(The financial aid given last time is not enough. Malaysia is doing a good practice. Their cases were increasing when they started to reopen. But they were able to arrest the situation. They did a lot for that, one of which is the six stimulus packages.)

She also hoped that the government would listen to her suggestions instead of being angry about it.

"Our problem at hand is huge. We have to deal with this collectively. Huwag sana masamain ang suggestions," she said.

(Don't be mad about my suggestions.)

Latest data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) showed that 98% of the second tranche of cash aid was distributed to families bearing the brunt of economic impacts of the pandemic.

Senators, however, previously flagged the DSWD for P83 billion unused funds under the two Bayanihan COVID-19 response laws.

The Philippines registered 656,056 total COVID-19 cases on Saturday, with 80,642 active cases, 562,484  recoveries and 12,930 deaths. —Consuelo Marquez/KG, GMA News