Senator Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri said Health Secretary Francisco Duque II should just tell the truth and give the public the proper guidance on how to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Zubiri made the call after Duque retracted his statement saying the Philippines has finally flattened the curve.
“Kakatawag lang ni Sec. Duque (has just called) apologizing for the mix up with what he said,” Zubiri told reporters in a text message.
The senator said Duque mentioned to him that he wanted to show the improvement on certain facets of the pandemic such as lower mortality rates but not the overall situation.
“So I said he must be careful with his statements and just deal with the facts. I’m sure he is under a lot pressure plus the fact that a new member of the cabinet tested positive for COVID is adding to that,” Zubiri noted.
“As I said, just tell the truth and give us the guidance on what to do,” he pointed out.
Zubiri earlier rejected Duque’s claim the Philippines has successfully flattened its COVID-19 infection curve since April, saying he believes the Department of Health (DOH) is merely imagining that the nation is winning the fight against the pandemic.
“OMG! Dear Secretary Duque, with all due respect, please tell us what curve is flattening?” Zubiri said in an earlier statement.
“Is it the fact that the cases in April were at an average of two hundred a day as compared to the daily average of over a thousand cases today? Or is it the fact that we will soon be number one in South East Asia in terms COVID-19 cases?” Zubiri pointed out.
“The only thing that is flat are the backs of all the poor patients in fully occupied COVID wards all around Metro Manila fighting for their lives! Wag magbulag-bulagan (stop acting blind) and act to stop the surge instead of imagining it,” he urged the DOH.