Villar wants all travelers from China banned from entering PH
Published Jan 31, 2020 12:00 am
By Vanne Elaine Terrazola
The Philippines should stop from entering the country all travelers coming from China pending an immediate way to detect whether or not they are carriers of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), Senator Cynthia Villar said on Friday.
Sen. Cynthia Villar
(Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN) Villar said the country was "quite late" in deciding to implement a temporary ban on those travelling from Hubei province and other areas in China affected by the 2019-nCoV. Following the Department of Health's (DOH) confirmation of the first case of 2019-nCoV in the country, President Duterte issued on Friday morning a travel ban on Chinese nationals coming from Hubei province, where Wuhan City, the epicenter of the 2019-nCoV outbreak, is located. A 38-year-old Chinese national from Wuhan tested positive for the virus. Travelers from areas infected by the new coronavirus are also covered by the ban, but Villar said this should apply to the entirety of China to make sure that the virus will not further spread in the Philippines. "Kung meron kang way to determine that they are a carrier, okay 'yon papasukin mo sila. Eh may way ba tayo? Wala naman tayong way to determine. Katulad nitong babae na pumasok at pumunta ng Cebu at Dumaguete, naghasik siya ng lagim doon (If we have a way to determine that they are a carrier, then it's okay to allow them into the Philippines. But do we have a way to determine that? None so far. Like the woman who arrived into the country and went to Cebu and Dumaguete, she might have spread the virus there)," Villar told reporters in an interview Friday. "Eh kung walang test na ganon eh 'di ipagbawal ang pagpasok (If we have no such test to trace the virus, then we should stop their entry)," she said, adding that this should be implemented as soon as possible. Villar also appealed to the government to prioritize the health of Filipinos in the Philippines over other concerns on the impact of implementing a travel ban for the entire China. "First this has an impact on our tourism. But importante din ang health ng Filipinos (But the health of Filipinos is equally important). Gusto ba natin ilagay sa danger ang mga buhay ng mga Filipino dahil (Would we endanger the lives of Filipinos here just because) we want to earn more from tourism? We have to be careful," she said. Villar said the DOH should recommend a total ban on travelers from China if it thinks that it is not capable of detecting the 2019-nCoV upon their arrival in the Philippines. Last Wednesday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III told lawmakers that the Philippines has already acquired from Japan the ribonucleic acid (RNA) primers that will help in detecting the 2019-nCoV in 24-48 hours. With the primer, local health authorities would be able to identify 2019-nCoV infection without having to ship specimens to their Australian counterparts, whose procedures take at least two days to confirm the virus. The DOH is reportedly preparing the RNA primer for use in the coming days. Thermal scanners were installed in airport arrival areas earlier to prevent the entry of the 2019-nCoV. The scanners detect ill travelers who would then undergo medical examinations and possible quarantine. Sen. Imee Marcos called for "stronger measures than just advisories on face masks, hand-washing, and prayers" from the government. She also urged authorities to assist Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Wuhan to ensure their continued access to health, diplomatic aid, and communication with their families.
Sen. Cynthia Villar(Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN) Villar said the country was "quite late" in deciding to implement a temporary ban on those travelling from Hubei province and other areas in China affected by the 2019-nCoV. Following the Department of Health's (DOH) confirmation of the first case of 2019-nCoV in the country, President Duterte issued on Friday morning a travel ban on Chinese nationals coming from Hubei province, where Wuhan City, the epicenter of the 2019-nCoV outbreak, is located. A 38-year-old Chinese national from Wuhan tested positive for the virus. Travelers from areas infected by the new coronavirus are also covered by the ban, but Villar said this should apply to the entirety of China to make sure that the virus will not further spread in the Philippines. "Kung meron kang way to determine that they are a carrier, okay 'yon papasukin mo sila. Eh may way ba tayo? Wala naman tayong way to determine. Katulad nitong babae na pumasok at pumunta ng Cebu at Dumaguete, naghasik siya ng lagim doon (If we have a way to determine that they are a carrier, then it's okay to allow them into the Philippines. But do we have a way to determine that? None so far. Like the woman who arrived into the country and went to Cebu and Dumaguete, she might have spread the virus there)," Villar told reporters in an interview Friday. "Eh kung walang test na ganon eh 'di ipagbawal ang pagpasok (If we have no such test to trace the virus, then we should stop their entry)," she said, adding that this should be implemented as soon as possible. Villar also appealed to the government to prioritize the health of Filipinos in the Philippines over other concerns on the impact of implementing a travel ban for the entire China. "First this has an impact on our tourism. But importante din ang health ng Filipinos (But the health of Filipinos is equally important). Gusto ba natin ilagay sa danger ang mga buhay ng mga Filipino dahil (Would we endanger the lives of Filipinos here just because) we want to earn more from tourism? We have to be careful," she said. Villar said the DOH should recommend a total ban on travelers from China if it thinks that it is not capable of detecting the 2019-nCoV upon their arrival in the Philippines. Last Wednesday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III told lawmakers that the Philippines has already acquired from Japan the ribonucleic acid (RNA) primers that will help in detecting the 2019-nCoV in 24-48 hours. With the primer, local health authorities would be able to identify 2019-nCoV infection without having to ship specimens to their Australian counterparts, whose procedures take at least two days to confirm the virus. The DOH is reportedly preparing the RNA primer for use in the coming days. Thermal scanners were installed in airport arrival areas earlier to prevent the entry of the 2019-nCoV. The scanners detect ill travelers who would then undergo medical examinations and possible quarantine. Sen. Imee Marcos called for "stronger measures than just advisories on face masks, hand-washing, and prayers" from the government. She also urged authorities to assist Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Wuhan to ensure their continued access to health, diplomatic aid, and communication with their families.