Research group IBON said that that the Duterte\nadministration\u2019s first official report on COVID-19 efforts only underscored\njust how government response to the worst public health crisis the country has\never faced is slow, insufficient, and insensitive. The group said that the\nreport failed to show clearly what the government\u2019s plan is and even just what\nis being done. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pres. Duterte submitted to Congress the first official\nreport on COVID-19 response efforts. These weekly reports are required under\nthe Republic Act (RA) 11469 or the Bayanihan<\/em> to Heal as One Act and are\nsupposed to monitor how the emergency powers granted to the president are\nutilized. The reports should include all\nresponse actions carried out by the president in the preceding week, as well as\nan accounting of the funds used for these. The report submitted, however,\ncovered efforts since the start of the military lockdown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n IBON said that it is now the third week of the lockdown, and\nthe report exposed how government efforts are slow, insufficient and leave out\nmuch-needed measures particularly towards bolstering the health sector and\nurgent socioeconomic relief. It also showed government\u2019s insensitivity to\noverwhelmed and unprotected health workers, and millions of Filipinos left with\nlittle or no means to meet their families\u2019 basic needs during the lockdown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As of yesterday, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in\nthe country has risen to 2,084 with 88 dead from 138 cases and 12 dead as of\nMarch 15. Undermanned and overburdened hospitals strain health workers and\nunduly exposed them to COVID-19. The Philippine Medical Association has already\nreported 17 doctors dying while battling the virus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The government has already acknowledged the poorest 18\nmillion households in the country needing assistance. Meanwhile, IBON estimates\n14.5 million dislocated workers and informal earners, and up to 7.5 million\nlow-income families vulnerable to shocks to their livelihood just in Luzon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n IBON said that government measures to bolster health\nresponse and protection for health workers are severely lacking. The report\nonly mentioned the Bureau of Customs (BOC) releasing just 48 boxes of personal\nprotective equipment (PPE), six ventilators, and 97,600 test kits. The\nDepartment of Science and Technology (DOST) produced 500,000 face masks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The group noted that the report did not mention such\ncritical tasks like increasing the number of health workers and mass testing.\nIt did not include giving any additional hazard pay, setting up isolation or\nquarantine facilities, and medical assistance for indigent patients. Apart from\nmentioning six ventilators, nothing else was said about expanding facilities\nand equipment for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, said the group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With regard to socioeconomic relief measures, IBON said that\nthis is coming down in trickles if at all to the most vulnerable Filipino\nfamilies. Based on the report, the group noted that of the 18 million\nhouseholds that government acknowledged as needing assistance: only 0.04%\n(6,314 beneficiaries) received cash, food, and non-food aid from the Department\nof Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), while only 1.1% received 194,467 food\npacks prepared for maybe two to three days. There was also no mention of\nemergency support for the 5.6 million senior citizens nationwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile, millions of Filipinos whose livelihoods and\nearnings have been affected are also neglected. IBON noted that only 8,641 or\njust 0.08% of the up to 10.7 million affected workers nationwide received\nPhp5,000 in COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) financial assistance\nunder the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). Only 51,293 or just 1% of\nup to 5.2 million affected informal earners nationwide became beneficiaries of\nDOLE\u2019s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating<\/em> Disadvantaged\/Displaced Workers\n(TUPAD) work-for-pay programs. However, there was no report of any financial\nassistance given by the Department of Agriculture (DA) to the country\u2019s 9.7\nmillion farmers, farm workers and fisherfolk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n IBON said that the lack of or minimal efforts on COVID-19\ncrisis shown in Pres. Duterte\u2019s first official report bodes ill for the\ncountry. It only reflects the disorganized, confusing and chaotic government\nresponse so far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The group said that the pandemic in the country can be\ncontained and overcome if the government replaces its militarist population\ncontrol-biased approach. Its measures should instead prioritize virus tracking\nand surveillance, substantially build the public health system, and address the\nsocioeconomic needs of the population, especially the most vulnerable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n