Solon furious over Galvez's 'neglect' of COVID-19 situation in Mindanao

Deputy Speaker and Cagayan De Oro City Representative Rufus Rodriguez on Monday denounced the supposed neglect of the national government to the COVID-19 situation in Mindanao.

During a briefing of the House Committee on Mindanao Affairs, a furious Rodriguez specifically slammed vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. for his supposed lack of concern and priority in addressing the increasing COVID-19 cases in the region.

Rodriguez mentioned that a lot of his constituents have already died due to COVID-19. He said he wrote a letter to Galvez twice in May seeking additional vaccine supply for Cagayan De Oro City but, according to him, Galvez did not respond.

"People died because of the inactivity of the vaccine czar. Let me state that on record! I really feel bad about this. First, no answer to my letter. Secondly, people are dying because they're giving a lot of vaccines for Metro Manila which are now lowered already in terms of COVID-19 incidents," Rodriguez said.

Earlier, experts from the OCTA Research have identified some cities in Mindanao as areas of concern due to the continued spread of COVID-19. These include Cagayan de Oro, General Santos, Koronadal, Cotabato and Davao

OPAPP exec apologizes

Galvez was not present during the hearing. He was represented by Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) Undersecretary Isidro Purisima.

Purisima apologized to Rodriguez as he promised that more vaccine doses will arrive in the coming weeks. He said from June to August, 30 to 35 million doses of vaccines will arrive that could already stabilize the supply.

According to Purisima, there was a lack of vaccine supply during the last week of May until the first week of June.

"Definitely there will be increases on the supply of vaccines as we have received lately additional vaccines of 4.3 million -- 2 million from Sinovac, 2.2 million for Pfizer and 100,000 for Sputnik," Purisima said.

"We can already increase the supply for different areas, particularly in the areas that are affected by the surge of COVID cases," he added.

In response, Rodriguez said, "How can you restore lives to those who have died because you did not immediately increase the shortage? No response at all!"

The lawmaker also slammed Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles over the same issue. The two officials were also not present in the briefing.

"Priority naman! Walang priority at all, it's business as usual, neglecting Mindanao! That's what happened!" Rodriguez said.

"Congressman are not being heeded by the IATF. We are completely out! They are going to decide based on their sweet time and only concentrating on Metro Manila," he added. —KBK, GMA News