Pangilinan: Use P20B funds under Bayanihan laws, 2021 budget for testing, contact tracing

Senator Francis Pangilinan on Sunday called on the government to use the P20 billion total budget allocation from the Bayanihan 1 and 2 and 2021 General Appropriations Act to roll out a more aggressive testing and contact tracing program amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the country.

Pangilinan made the appeal as public and private hospitals in Metro Manila and nearby provinces get "overwhelmed" with COVID-19 patients, many of whom can no longer be admitted due to overcapacity.

In a statement, Pangilinan said testing and tracing would complement the strict lockdown protocols being implemented in certain areas in the country, including Metro Manila.

"Ikamamatay natin kung kulang ang testing at contact tracing. Walang kwenta ang pag-lockdown kung hindi mapipigil ang mga bagong pagpupugaran ng virus," he said.

(It would be fatal to drop the ball on testing and contact tracing. The people's hardships while under lockdown will be for naught if we will not be able to arrest the new breeding grounds of the virus.)

"Gusto nating magtiwala na ginagamit nang maayos ang pondo sa pakikipagkarera para ma-contain ang COVID-19," he added.
 
(We trust that the funds are being utilized efficiently and expeditiously as we race in containing COVID-19.)

According to Pangilinan, a total of P1.91 billion has been released to the Department of Health (DOH) under the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act (Bayanihan 1) for the procurement of testing kits, while a separate amount of P53 million went to the Department of Science and Technology for the production of test kits for 26,000 tests.

Meanwhile, a total of P10 billion has been allocated as standby fund under the Bayanihan to Recover As One Act (Bayanihan 2) for testing and procurement of medicines and vaccines under the DOH.

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) was likewise given P5 billion for hiring 50,000 contact tracers.

Under the 2021 General Appropriations Act, the DILG also received another P1.9 billion for contact tracing, while the DOH was given P1 billion for RT-PCR cartridges.

"May pondo tayo, walang hadlang para hindi gawin ang sinasabi ng batas tungkol sa testing at contact tracing," Pangilinan said, adding that the concerned agencies should be able to show how these resources are being used in the pandemic response.

(The funds are available. There is no excuse for the government not to do what the law says on testing and contact tracing.)

"Mahirap ang trabaho, pero walang excuse para hindi gawin ang testing at contact tracing. Hindi ito ang mga tanging lunas sa virus, pero ang maayos na pagpapatupad nito ang magpapadali sa pagsugpo sa COVID-19," Pangilinan also said.

(The task may be challenging, but there's no excuse not to do testing and contact tracing. These are not the panacea to the virus, but doing them effectively will make the battle against COVID-19 more manageable.)

On Saturday, the Philippines logged 12,576 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total tally to 784,043. —KG, GMA News