Amid COVID fight, Duterte says public health remains top priority

By Prince Golez

As parts of the country started to transition from an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to a modified ECQ or general community quarantine, President Rodrigo Duterte said the health of the Filipino people remains a top priority.

In his eighth weekly report to Congress, Duterte renewed his administration’s commitment to exercise all powers and optimize all available resources in dealing with the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and its effects.

He also vowed to strengthen the country’s health system capacities through enhanced detection and isolation and to provide relief to the vulnerable and those most in need.

“I recognize that the future poses profound challenges for our nation and our countrymen. While we are slowly reopening the economy, our commitment to protect and maintain the health of people remains as top priority,” according to him.

“Through the resilience and fortitude of the Filipino, I am certain that we will all overcome these difficult times,” added Duterte.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the steps taken by the government to fight the Covid-19 pandemic:

-As of May 15, the Department of Social Welfare and Development has served 16,996,999 families under its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis (AICS) Program.

-As of May 14, the Department of the Interior and Local government has issued show cause orders to a total of 43 mayors to explain their poor/slow distribution of the financial aid despite the extension of their deadline for distribution of the first tranche.

-The Philippine National police investigated a total of 183 barangay officials for alleged anomalies on special amelioration programs (SAPs) distribution, such as pocketing of cash aid intended for qualified beneficiaries.

-As of May 14, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has distributed a total of 155,523 agrarian reform beneficiary (ARB) identification cards under its ARB ID System to facilitate access to the existing SAPs, the “PaSSOver” ARBold Move fore Deliverance of our Farmers from the Covid-19 Pandemic” project of the DAR, and other relief operations of the government and non-governmental organizations.

-As of May 15, the Department of Social Welfare and Development has provided relief assistance to affected families amounting to P335,712,575.20.

-The Social Security System has released a total of P20.4 billion in cash grants to 2,654,155 employee-beneficiaries of the Small Business Wage Subsidy program as of Thursday last week.

-As of May 13, the Government Service Insurance System has released a total net proceeds of P2.70 billion in emergency loans to 159,657 active members and old-age pensioners.

-As of May 15, the Department of Health (DOH) has approved 5,601 slots for emergency hiring in 121 health facilities such as hospitals and quarantine facilities.

-There are 1,845 Covid-19 referral and accepting hospitals across the country, with 24 designated DOH COVID-referral hospitals and 49 other DOH accepting hospitals across the country as of May 14.

-As of May 14, the Department of Tourism has screened and identified 705 hotels nationwide with 19,342 available rooms ready to accommodate returning overseas Filipino workers.

-As of Wednesday last week, a total of 189,469 tests have been conducted on 184,857 individuals.

Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)