Lacson okay with gov’t push for return of onsite work to spark economic recovery

Presidential candidate and Senator Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday supported the government’s push for the return of on-site work after placing several areas under Alert Level 1 to help in the country's economic recovery.

“[Work] onsite? Yes, [I agree], by all means kasi kung transition sa endemic, mag-onsite na tayo kasi mabigat napakahirap ng dinanas natin nu’ng lockdown,” Lacson said in a press conference in Candelaria, Quezon Tuesday.

(Yes, I agree with the push to work onsite. By all means. Because if we are talking about transitioning to endemic, we should encourage onsite work because we were severely affected by the lockdowns.)

“Ngayon na may pagkakataon na gumalaw na tayo nang normal, gumalaw na tayo nang normal para bumalik na ang sigla ng kabuhayan,” he added.

(Now that we have the opportunity to move normally, let us take advantage of it so that we can bring back the vitality of our economy.)

On Monday, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the government is “encouraging” onsite work and work from home will now be “optional.”

"Ie-encourage 'yung onsite work (under Alert Level 1), ibig sabihin less na 'yung work from home, magiging optional na 'yung work from home," he said.

(Onsite work is encouraged under Alert Level 1, which means there'd be less work from home arrangements. Work from home will become optional.)

Lopez said this is expected to boost businesses like stores and restaurants as more people will be going out of their homes.

The National Capital Region and several areas in the country were placed under Alert Level 1 starting March 1 to 15.

Under Alert Level 1, all establishments, persons, or activities are permitted to operate at 100% capacity. Vaccination requirement, however, will stay for indoor activities, according to Lopez.

Further, Lacson said he agrees with the statement of vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez, declaring that the country has already hurdled the threat of the Omicron COVID-19 variant.

“I agree…Kasi si Sec. Galvez will not speak nang walang basehan. I’m sure kausap niya na ang expert d’yan at science-based na ang pinanggalingan ng kanyang salita,” Lacson said.

(I agree because Sec. Galvez will not speak without basis. I'm sure that he already talked to expert about that and his statement is science-based.)

The presidential candidate also welcomed the Department of Health’s (DOH) move to release COVID-19 case bulletin on a weekly basis unless there is a “sudden spike” in confirmed cases.

This, he said, is consistent to the preparations for the shift from pandemic to endemic.

“Kung wala namang drastic changes sa cases, dapat weekly na nga lang, kasi kung steady naman tayo na less than 1,000 a day, ‘wag na silang i-burden na daily nagre-report,” he said.

(If there are no drastic changes in the situation, we should release it on a weekly basis. If we are consistent with the less than 1,000 a day, then let us not burden them to report daily.)

“Ngayon kung may sudden spike, aba kailangan i-report nila sa taumbayan dahil balikan ko ‘yung bakit kailangan tayo magtransition sa pandemic to endemic,” he added.

(Now, if there is a sudden spike in cases, then they should report it to the public. Now, we have to transition from pandemic to endemic.)

One of the Senate bets under the Lacson and Sotto tandem, Dra. Minguita Padilla also supported the weekly reporting of COVID-19 cases but she pointed out that the DOH should focus its monitoring on the hospital utilization.

“I think it’s fair as long as ipa-publish naman sa website. At this point, medyo [overacting] na masyado kung every day. I think as long ilabas nila sa website, it’s okay,” Padilla said.

(I think it's fair as long as they will publish it on the website. At this point, it might be over amplified if we will release it every day.)

According to the physician, hospitalization rates have more implications in the country’s healthcare system and this is also one of the indicators that there is an emerging variant.

“For the longest time, many of us have been saying, ‘yung statistics na nirereport (the statistics that we are reporting), we have to concentrate na lang sino ang mga na-ospital kaysa ‘yung (on the number of hospitalized individuals instead of the) cases itself kasi wala na halos kabuluhan e kasi (it is almost useless because) most of the cases are asymptomatic, parang we are getting into the endemic stage,” she added.

Consistent with his push for the Philippines to prepare for the shift from pandemic to endemic state, Lacson asked the DOH about its transition plan.

“By now… nagpeprepare na tayo ng policy natin para sa (we should be preparing a policy for the) transition from pandemic to endemic,” he said.

“I wonder if Sec. Duque and our health officials are already thinking the same way that we are thinking. Gano’n dapat ang attitude ng gobyerno. Ang tawag nga namin d'on e proactive (That should be the attitude of the government. We call it being proactive),” he said.

Lacson and his running-mate Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Tuesday held a dialogue with 200 tricycle operators and drivers association members in Candelaria, Quezon.

Speaking before the TODA members, Lacson and Sotto urged them to claim their cash aids and subsidies from their from the government which was provided under the Bayanihan Laws.

“Puntahan ninyo ‘yung inyong mga barangay chairmen, puntahan ninyo ‘yung inyong mga mayor bilang isang grupo. Kasi kung isa lang kayong pupunta baka hindi kayo pansinin. Kaya mainam ‘yung nakapag-organisa kayo sa pamamagitan ng TODA. Hingin ninyo kasi sa inyo ‘yon,” Lacson  said.

(Go to your barangay chairmen, go to your mayors as a group, because if you’re going alone, you might just get ignored. It is better if you remain organized through your TODA. Claim (your cash assistance) because that’s yours.)

Apart from the financial assistance from the Bayanihan Laws, Lacson told the drivers that the government has around P2.5 billion fuel subsidy which will be rolled out following the  consecutive fuel price hikes at the world market triggered by global events.

After their event in Candelaria, the Lacson and Sotto tandem returned in Lucena City and conducted a town hall meeting with the barangay captains and TODA members.

Based on Commission on Elections’ data, there are 1.424 million registered voters in Quezon province.

Of the said number, 183,412 are from Lucena and 81,374 are from Candelaria.—AOL, GMA News