Outgoing Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III Monday, June 13 said policies on how to contain Covid-19 pandemic should be science-based and science-driven.
Sotto stressed this as Cebu officials made a decision making optional the wearing of face masks outdoors.
Cebu’s decision did not sit well with the Department of Health (DOH).
Sotto said national and local government officials should talk on policies, emphasizing that Cebu officials should not be forced to follow DOH policies on the wearing of face masks but Cebu officials must not be hard headed, either.
"Whatever policy, the government--whether national or local--would want to pursue, it should be science-based and data-driven. So, I do not know the data and the basis of the Cebu provincial government in (enforcing) its policy. But then again, the national government, the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force), will not be there forever. I don't think it will be there forever, so they should strike a balance between local autonomy and the national implication," Sotto said in an interview.
"Siguro, iyon ang kailangan talagang pinag-uusapan. Hindi pwedeng dadaanin sa tigas ng ulo 'yan o biglang pipilitin ng Cebu province na sumunod, or sasabihin ng Cebu province na magtitigas-tigasan ng ulo (I think, they should discuss it first. They shouldn't be stubborn or insist Cebu province to follow, and neither should Cebu province officials be hard-headed). They should talk. As I've said, it should be science-based, data-driven decisions that should be made," the Senate leader reiterated.
On a proposal to place the National Capital Region (NCR) under alert level 2, Sotto said he would support this only if it is backed by data.
He said local government units (LGUs) should discuss local policies and on steps to open the economy.
Senator Imee Marcos, elder sister of President-elect Ferdinand ‘’Bongbong’’ R. Marcos Jr., thinks that ‘’ living with Covid-19 will include wearing a face mask in crowded enclosed spaces, as many countries learned during the SARS & other contagions.’’
‘’Really, it’s a small price to pay for our families' health,’’ she said.
Re-electionist Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said that learning from his visit to Singapore, ‘’they no longer require mask when outdoors and the convention centers and restaurants are at full capacity.’’
‘’The effect is a resurgence of their tourism industry to shore up gov't revenues,’’ he said.
‘’The vaccines are effective as evidenced by the very low hospital occupancy rates. We just have to live with this virus already and continue to promote booster shots to the entire population,’’ he added.