Marcos urged to certify urgent PH CDC amid doubtful extension of COVID-19 state of calamity

The Department of Health (DOH) has asked President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to certify as urgent the bill establishing Philippine Center for Disease Control (CDC).

The DOH said the law shall serve as the legal basis for the continued and uninterrupted implementation of the government’s COVID-19 vaccination program even without the declaration of a state of calamity.

It shall also be the foundation for the government's response for future public health emergencies,

“We are working with the Presidential Legislative and Liaison Office (PLLO) to fast-track the passage of the PH CDC bill. We have requested the same to be certified as urgent by the President,” the DOH told reporters in a message.

Marcos on Thursday said that he was hesitant to extend the declaration of a state of emergency due to COVID-19.

The DOH on Friday said the country’s COVID-19 vaccination program would be affected if the state of calamity was not extended.

“If the extension will not be approved, we can still continue with the COVID-19 vaccination program using existing doses considering their validity is hinged on their Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs),” the DOH said.

“But, we cannot procure additional doses, including the bivalent vaccines. Also, it is expected that the number of vaccinators will decrease as other cadres such as pharmacists may no longer be tapped, and willingness to vaccinate may decrease as immunity from liability is not guaranteed,” it added.

The DOH expressed openness to alternatives to prevent the disruption of the vaccination program like the possible grant of a special authority to purchase.

On December 12, the House of Representatives on Monday approved on the third and final reading House Bill No. 6522, which is among the priority measures of the Marcos administration.

The measure grants CDC the technical authority on all matters regarding disease prevention and control by performing specific functions.

One of these is providing technical guidance to the development of policies, programs, standards, guidelines, and monitoring and evaluation systems on the forecasting, prevention, monitoring, and control of diseases, injuries, and disabilities both of national and international concern.

The bill proposes to transfer under the jurisdiction of the CDC some like DOH units the Epidemiology Bureau, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, and Sexually Transmitted Disease - Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Cooperative Central Laboratory.

Also, some functions of the International Health Surveillance Division of the Bureau of Quarantine would be transferred to CDC.

The CDC will also supervise the passive international health surveillance and development of communication methods for wider and more effective delivery of critical public health information.

It will still be under the jurisdiction of the DOH. —NB, GMA Integrated News