Nasaan ang siyensiya? Gov’t response to COVID-19 pandemic hit as cases surge

By Billy Begas

House Committee on Human Rights chairperson and Quezon City Rep. Jesus ‘Bong’ Suntay said that the Department of Health (DOH) basically based everything in Science to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and yet the Philippines lag behind its neighboring countries in Southeast Asia.

During the hearing of the House Committee on Health, Suntay could not hide his disappointment with the country’s situation.

“Sinasabi natin na its based on science, in fact lahat ng ginawa ng DOH was basically based on Science. Yung ating attention dito, yung paglaban natin sa COVID pandemic is based in Science pero ngayon currently among the active COVID-19 cases in Southeast Asia number one ang Pilipinas with 124,680 so yun yung based on Science natin, yung response natin,” said Suntay.

The country has recorded the highest number of active COVID-19 cases in SEA in the past few weeks.

“Baka mali yung naging approach natin, hindi kaya?” asked Suntay.

DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said there are implementation issues and “we are really cognizant of that fact”.

“Katulad nga po ng mga sinasabi kanina ng mga czar they were able to identify gaps dito po sa pagpapatupad natin. Meron ho tayong mga angking weaknesses in our health system, meron din po tayong mga kakulangan na kailangan pa ho nating i-strengthen especially for the local government’s response,” said Vergeire.

Suntay also remembered that the DOH and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were quick to warn the public not to use Ivermectin “pero wala namang clinical trials pa na kinonduct and DOH”.

“Parang when we say kasi that the reactions were all based in Science but after a year and looking at where we’re at right now palagay ko ang scientific basis na ginamit nila parang puro mali,” he concluded.

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