Set aside bickering, focus on unity, bayanihan

Since the start, I have always emphasized the need for unity and bayanihan in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic. The only way that we can win this battle is if each one of us will commit all of our energies toward defeating this virus.

Life is too short and precious. Why waste time blaming others when we should be helping one another instead?

Critics must be reminded that trying to destroy President Rodrigo Duterte and his administration accomplishes nothing good for our people. It will not help our economy recover, it will not address hunger, it will not hasten the arrival of vaccines, and most importantly, it will not stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

While we continue to respect everyone’s freedom of speech, let me point out that wishing for the government to fail would also mean the failure of the whole country. This is why I have consistently emphasized that we need a whole-of-nation approach to address all these challenges.

Every Filipino has an integral role to play in instilling positive change in our communities. Instead of the constant bickering and relentless criticisms, we should embody the bayanihan spirit as the key to defeating Covid-19, as well as other ills in our society.

I assure our kababayans that our primordial concern is the survival of the Filipino people. It is for this reason that I have been very active and vocal in pushing for measures that do not only seek to address the current pandemic, but also prepare the country for other crises that may come. Just recently, I called on concerned agencies to hasten the establishment of more vaccination centers in the country so that we can inoculate as many people as possible in a safe and orderly manner. This will be crucial in moving forward, especially as more vaccines will be arriving in the weeks and months ahead.

I likewise supported the call of President Duterte to establish a virology institute that will capacitate the country to conduct scientific research initiatives on various viruses and the prevention and treatment of viral diseases. Such an institution could hopefully capacitate our country to eventually develop and manufacture our own vaccines and contribute to the global supply of medicines needed to save more lives.

Our differences in opinions must not derail our focus in serving our fellow Filipinos with utmost diligence, compassion and empathy. I am certain that hard work and genuine public service resonate more with Filipinos than complaining and fear-mongering.

As I continue to perform my duties as a legislator and as a representative of the people, I am also fully committed to serve constituents in need. That is why my office continues to provide critical aid to those who were affected by fire incidents and natural disasters, as well as sectors whose lives and livelihoods are severely affected by the ongoing crisis.

Last week, my team assisted 22 fire victims from Surigao City, Surigao del Norte;

87 families from Bankerohan, Davao City; three from Tarragona, Davao Oriental; and one individual from Maragusan, Davao de Oro.

My team also visited Tubay, Agusan del Norte and assisted 295 victims of typhoon

“Auring,” who are still trying to recover from their ordeal. Furthermore, we have also assisted 600 market vendors from Tanauan, Leyte; 514 individuals from vulnerable sectors in Limay, Bataan; 140 persons with disabilities, senior citizens, tricycle drivers and indigents from Panitan, Capiz; 508 TODA members from General Luna, Quezon; 122 displaced workers and TNVS drivers from Quezon City; 200 indigents from Piñan, Zamboanga del Norte; 1,250 indigents from Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte; 750 senior citizens of Mintal,

Davao City; 529 displaced or affected workers, as well as families of prisoners and drug surrenderees in Angeles City, Pampanga; 200 indigents from various vulnerable sectors in San Fernando City, Pampanga; and another 160 beneficiaries with medical needs from Guagua, Pampanga.

In all these activities, the beneficiaries received meals, food packs, masks, face shields and vitamins. Some were given bicycles or pairs of shoes, while others were given computer tablets for their children’s educational use. Concerned agencies also provided separate forms of assistance based on their existing programs for communities in crisis situations. All these activities were conducted in batches and in compliance with health and safety protocols to prevent the further spread of Covid-19 and other diseases.

Aside from these, I also personally attended the blessing and turnover ceremony of the Department of Health-Quezon Institute Off-Site Modular Hospital in Quezon City as chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography last 6 April.

The modular facility is a 110-bed capacity off-site modular hospital extension of the Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center located at the Quezon Institute. It aims to augment beds dedicated for patients with moderate to severe Covid-19 cases. I urge the government to build and expand more of these facilities to ensure that those who are sick are adequately treated and taken care of.

Last 8 April, we also welcomed the first batch of health care workers from Visayas composed of 11 doctors, 35 nurses and four medical technologists who volunteered to be deployed to augment our medical workers in NCR Plus. This shows that despite the challenges, the spirit of bayanihan continues to thrive.

As we continue to recognize and honor the sacrifices of frontliners and essential workers who continue to serve fellow Filipinos amid the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, we must also help unburden them by doing our part. Now is not the time to quarrel among ourselves. Instead, now is the time to work together as one nation as we overcome this unprecedented crisis and usher a new dawn in the history of our country with hopes for a better future — a comfortable life for all Filipinos.

“Now

is not the time to quarrel among ourselves. Instead, now is the time to work together as one nation as we overcome this unprecedented crisis.

“We should embody the bayanihan spirit as the key to defeating Covid-19, as well as other ills in our society.