Duterte presidency’s accomplishments in 4 years (5)

Contrary to his critics’ claims, the President has held the pandemic bull by the horns by imposing the enhanced community quarantine on regions across the country. He directed the implementation of the government’s program to feed 18 million poor families, plus additional 5 million families, displaced by the community quarantine — the biggest and widest social protection program in Philippine history.

The President also ordered the acquisition of medical equipment and supplies, as well as the provision of sufficient supply of protective personal equipment for our doctors and health workers. He directed the establishment of testing facilities and laboratories to enhance our health system and ordered to provide assistance to the farmers and the fisher folk in these critical times. Realizing that the Department of Health (DoH) has been overwhelmed by the sheer number of necessities to respond to the health requirements and being undermanned in personnel, he tasked the Office of Civil Defense to effect a fast and efficient distribution of donations of medical supplies and equipment. He gave the departments sufficient authority to implement the provisions and objectives of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act. The decisiveness of PRRD in reducing the entry of people to the Philippines in February, followed by the imposition of a lockdown, earned recognition from the World Health Organization. It noted that PRRD’s decisive measures have saved 100,000 lives. Scientists and experts also informed the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF) that around 8.3 million Filipinos could have been infected with COVID-19 if timely community quarantine was not imposed.

Demands for an enhanced contact tracing and mass testing relative to containing COVID-19 have likewise been addressed. In the middle of July, the government’s contact tracing capability has reached its peak at 98.2 percent per report of the Department of the Interior and Local Government. On the aspect of mass testing, the country has a rated testing capacity of 50,000 in mid-June as reported by the DoH. Presently, the Philippines has the second-highest number of tests conducted in Asia with nearly 1.4 million tests made as of 26 July. The government has organized 5,126 contact-tracing teams with 67,683 members.

The problem on mass transport, owing to the imposition of ESQ, was eased by the government providing bus services and army trucks during the community quarantine. The problem on the lack of PPE for our health workers has been laid aside as we have now a surplus with high-quality PPE due to government’s purchases and donations from other countries and private companies.

Our health workers are now better protected resulting in the reduction of mortal casualties among them due to the virus infection. Presently, the DoH has procured 6,316,849 PPE sets, of which 2,689,122 or 43.89 percent have been delivered. In addition, the DoH has requested the Department of Budget and Management to purchase 10.36 million sets of PPE worth P20.72 billion.

Many quarantine centers have been established by the government, Philippine Arena Complex, Philippine Sports Complex, ASEAN Convention Center, Filinvest Tent, New Clark City Convention, Ninoy Aquino Stadium, PICC, the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, World Trade Center Manila and Alonte Sports Arena, among others.

All these were built during the community quarantine. As of this date, the accredited testing laboratories nationwide has already reached 94. A total of 20,656 beds and 1,970 mechanical ventilators are dedicated for COVID-19 patients and 48.83 percent of these beds and 26.55 percent of these ventilators were in use.

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“The Department of Health has procured 6,316,849 PPE sets, of which 2,689,122 PPE sets or 43.89 percent have been delivered.

“He gave the departments sufficient authority to implement the provisions and objectives of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.