Vergeire says proposed CDC not a 'medical martial law'

Department of Health officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire on Tuesday allayed concerns regarding the creation of Philippine Center for Disease Control (CDC), with some saying it is “medical martial law.”

At a press conference, Vergeire explained that the DOH is pushing for the CDC bill because throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, they have seen the weaknesses of the country’s healthcare system especially at times of crisis.

“Dito po natin pinupunan, through this CDC bill, itong mga kakulangan ng ating sistema,” she said.

(Through the CDC bill, we will fill the shortfalls in our system.)

“The CDC bill is not a medical martial law. The CDC bill has been proposed for us to be prepared in future pandemics or future threats to the public health of a nation,” she added.

Vergeire said that the measure would help generate science and evidence for health conditions, strengthen the country’s surveillance system, and harmonize laboratories to conduct speedy trials to determine which technologies are needed to address certain illnesses, among others.

“Nowhere can you find within this CDC draft bill any provision that will state that we are going to have a medical martial law. In fact, this CDC bill will be an attached agency of the Department of Health,” she added

The creation of the Philippine CDC was tagged as a priority of the Marcos administration.

In December last year, the House of Representatives passed on third and final reading House Bill No. 6522 which seeks to establish the country’s own CDC.

Vergeire also emphasized that with CDC, all systems that are essential to ensure a proactive health response in normal and emergency situations will be strengthened and institutionalized.

The CDC shall be the technical authority on forecasting, analysis, strategy, and standards development for the prevention and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases and health security events, whether domestic or international. —KBK, GMA Integrated News