Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Monday, April 5, issued an appeal to the government to implement urgent interventions to protect welfare of poor and vulnerable sectors in light of the extension of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus areas until April 11.
(Senate of the Philippines / FILE PHOTO)
Go, chairman of the Senate health committee, specifically asked the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to expedite the distribution of aid to the poor population affected by ECQ who are qualified for the supplemental amelioration program earlier approved by President Duterte.
“Higit kumulang 22.9 milyong mahihirap na katao na bumubuo ng 80 porsyento ng populasyon ng NCR at mga probinsya ng Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite at Laguna na naka-ECQ ngayon ang dapat mabigyan ng ayuda sa lalong madaling panahon (About 22.9 million poor Filipinos comprise the 80 percent population of the NCR and the neighboring provinces of Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite and Laguna should be extended assistance as soon as possible),’’ Go said in a statement.
He urged implementing agencies to fast-track the distribution of aid, with the help of local government units, to ensure that those who need support the most are able to receive government assistance immediately.
“Aprubado na ito ng Pangulo kung kaya’t dapat na bilisan na natin ang pagbigay ng ayuda. Sa tulong ng mga LGUs, dapat maipamahagi ito sa bawat kwalipikadong indibidwal sa paraang maayos, mabilis, at walang bahid ng pulitika o korapsyon (Since it has been approved by the President, the assistance should now be given fast. With the help of local government units, the assistance should be distributed to qualified individuals in an orderly, fast and corruption-free manner and without a whiff of politics),” he added.
Go said he was assured by DBM Secretary Wendel Avisado that there would be no delay in the immediate release of funds to LGUs for the supplemental amelioration program.
“Kailangang maibaba na sa tao by next week ang ayuda. Tutal, meron na tayong sistema sa dating SAP noong nakaraang taon, kaya dapat mas mabilis na ito ngayon. Cash or in kind man ito, basta piliin kung paano mas mabilis makarating ang tulong (The assistance should reach the masses by next week. After all, a system adopted during the distribution of Social Amelioration Program last year. So the distribution should be faster now. Since it is either in cash or in kind, whatever is faster should be adopted),” he appealed.
He added that the distribution should be supervised by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) free of political color.
Go likewise stressed the need to augment public health interventions other than quarantine restrictions to effectively mitigate the spread of COVID-19. He specifically urged health officials to boost COVID-19 testing, contact tracing, and case isolation and treatment efforts.
“We have to ramp up the country’s COVID-19 response. Kung gaano kabilis kumalat ang sakit, mas mabilis dapat ang ating aksyon para gamutin ang may sakit at mapigilan ang lalong pagkalat nito (Our fast action to contain COVID-19 should match the fast rate of infection),” he said.
He also appealed to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to settle on time its obligations and expand its coverage to help poor and indigent patients.
To address the increasing volume of COVID-19 patients, Go implored the Department of Health (DOH) to strengthen the "One Hospital Command Center" so that all hospital operations in NCR Plus are streamlined and operating with utmost efficiency.
“We need to double our efforts in order to reduce further the waiting time for patients needing urgent treatment or admission, provide faster medical transport and patient pick-up, and facilitate much improved use of critical care services in our health facilities,” he said.
He also cited the role of government communicators in providing the public with accurate and timely information in order to combat COVID-19 and alleviate public anxiety.