COVID-19 PANDEMIC: MANILA, Philippines- Robredo says ECQ not enough, hits gov’t for ‘too general’ pandemic plan

Vice President Leni Robredo urged President Rodrigo Duterte’s government to set a weekly scorecard to properly gauge if their plans to quell the spread of COVID-19 cases in coronavirus hotspot “NCR Plus” are actually working.

The Duterte government placed “NCR Plus” – composed of Metro Manila and the nearby provinces of Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, and Cavite – under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) for the second week to stop a surge in COVID-19 cases. ECQ is the strictest form of lockdown in the Philippines.

The Vice President made her suggestion on Sunday, April 4, after saying in her weekly radio show Biserbisyong Leni with broadcaster Ely Saludar that she still finds the government’s pandemic response as “too general” in the face of the unprecedented surge in cases.

“Para sa akin, okay naman ‘yung sinabi sa ECQ, pero sana detalyado at saka sana nag-o-operate tayo na parating may specific objectives. Kasi kung hindi, ‘yung sukat natin, paano natin masasabi na nagtagumpay tayo? Papaano natin masasabi na excellent tayo? Na-check-an ba natin ‘yung ating mga scorecards?” Robredo asked.

(For me, what they said about ECQ is okay, but we’re hoping for more details and we’re hoping to always operate with specific objectives. Because if not, how can we truly say that we have won? How can we truly say that we’re excellent? Were we able to check our scorecards?)

The Vice President said she agrees with the one-week extension of ECQ over “NCR Plus,” but she also finds lacking the Duterte government’s “PDITR” strategy – to “prevent, detect, isolate, treat, and reintegrate.”

“Dati test, trace, isolate, ‘di ba? Ayun ‘yung dati. Ngayon, PDITR na ang tawag pero halos pareho lang ang gustong sabihin,” said Robredo. “‘Yung plano, Ka Ely, masyadong general. Pag sinabi mong PDITR ‘yung plano, ano ‘yung kaibahan dito nung nakaraan na one year na nating ginagawa?”

(We used to say test, trace, and isolate, right? That was the one before. Now it’s called PDITR but they just mean to say the same thing… The plan, Ka Ely, is too general. When you say PDITR is the plan, what’s the difference from what we’ve been doing for a year already?)

The Vice President said the government should lay out clear goals they want to achieve by April 11, the end of the extended ECQ in NCR Plus, including the number of COVID-19 tests that should be done daily, how to employ more healthcare workers for hospitals with low manpower, and the budget needed to properly compensate the exhausted frontliners.

Robredo also reiterated her call for the government to give subsidies to families affected by the NCR Plus lockdown and to further strengthen local government units so they can better respond to the pandemic.

The Duterte government was forced to extend the ECQ over NCR Plus after the country logged back-to-back record-high cases of COVID-19.

The Philippines on Saturday, April 3, recorded 12,576 new COVID-19 cases, the second day in a row the country tallied more than 10,000. The infections peaked at 15,310 on Friday, April 2, which was country’s highest single-day caseload so far.

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In the face of the recent surge in cases, Robredo reminded Filipinos in a separate message for Easter Sunday that they are not alone in this fight against COVID-19.

“But if there is anything that Easter and the Lenten Season reminds us, it is that during these extraordinary times of darkness, we are renewed by our faith, hope, and love for one another. Ito ang nagpapatatag at nagpapalakas sa atin, ang sisigurong maaalpasan natin ang kalbaryong pasan natin ngayon (This is what will keep us stronger, what will ensure that we can get through this burden that we’re carrying now),” said Robredo.

“Sa pagmamahal ni Kristo, sa pagpili Niyang makiisa sa lahat ng hirap at pagsubok ng buhay natin, humuhugot tayo ng inspirasyon para magsimula at makabangon muli… Gaya ng paulit-ulit na nating pinatunayan sa mga nagdaang taon: Walang Pilipinong nag-iisa,” she added.

(We draw inspiration from Jesus’ love, his choice to be one with us in our hardships and struggles in life, to rebuild our lives…. Like what I have been repeatedly saying this past year: No Filipino is alone.) – Rappler.com