Representative Joey Sarte Salceda on Friday said the Philippines is in a crisis and things are worrisome.

Salceda was reacting to a Moody’s Analytics Assessment that the Philippine economy is in a ‘’worrisome’’ state.       

He pointed out that there are factors that could be explained by the global context.

‘’Certainly, the COVID-19 resurgence is the experience of even the most vaccine-advanced countries. There is not a broad increase in food prices. Food inflation is primarily due to pork supply issues due to ASF (African Swine Flu), another global issue. Of course, the output gap is due to mobility restrictions. We have limited control over these matters,’’ he said.        

Salceda then stressed that COVID-19 vaccination has to be more ambitious.      

‘’It will help us solve all of these other problems. We can better respond to pork supply issues, improve our output, and reduce further infections if we can jab the shots to more arms faster. Many governments have made vaccination their singular focus for 2021,’’ he said.       

He explained that he would be remiss if he makes comments without offering solutions.      

‘’My (Ways and Means) committee is already working with the Department of Agriculture (DA) to make import procedures safer to prevent any further ASF contamination. We are also formulating a draft policy to link pork tariffs with public investments in biosafety and livestock insurance,’’ he said.      

‘’We are tightening the noose on smuggling of excised products to ensure that we have adequate funds for our COVID-19 response. The Department of Finance has already adopted my recommendations to help recover some of the P30 billion a year that we lose to tobacco smuggling alone,’’ he added.     

‘’In short, we are still in a crisis. Things are naturally worrisome. There are things beyond our control, but there are also policy and governance solutions. My committee will continue to give the necessary policy support to help us through this crisis. If necessary, we will exercise oversight of our COVID-19 loans and spending,’’ he vowed.     

Salceda also said that the government could do better with COVID-19 response.   

 ‘’My committee is hard at work to generate revenues and write policies to fund and improve our response. My time is better spent there than adding to the blame game. Our epidemiology and economics cannot afford to be distracted by cheap politics,’’ he said.