Robredo: Too many COVID-19 deaths because of unavailable hospital beds

Too many COVID-19 patients are dying due to the unavailability of beds in the country's hospitals, Vice President Leni Robredo said on Friday.

Robredo said this had been the case when the COVID-19 cases spiked in the past. She indicated that there was something wrong in the response to the coronavirus.

"We have seen far too many deaths caused by the unavailability of hospitals that can take our patients in," Robredo said.

"Ganito na sitwasyon noong nakaraan na surge. Ganito ulit ngayon. Ilang buhay pa ba ang mawawala bago natin tanggapin na marami tayong ginagawa na hindi tama?" she added.

[We have been in the same situation in the last surge. We're experiencing it again. How many more lives will be lost before we accept that many of the things we are doing are not right?]

GMA News Online has asked for comment from President Rodrigo Duterte's spokesman Harry Roque regarding Robredo's criticism. There has been no reply as of posting time.

Malacañang on July 28 said it agreed with Robredo regarding the need to prioritize pandemic response as it welcomed the latter's initiatives to aid the government in the battle against COVID-19.

"The Palace is one with the Vice President in her Ulat sa Bayan message that in this challenging time of COVID-19, it is the Filipinos who helped and came to the rescue of fellow Filipinos," presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said.

"Now is the time to focus on COVID-19 and help the national government in achieving population protection; so together, we will recover and have a happy Christmas and a better future for all Filipinos," he added. —NB, GMA News