Nograles: Duque has President’s trust, does not sugarcoat PH health situation
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has the support of President Duterte and the Cabinet because he does not sugarcoat the country's health situation and instead tells it as it is, a
Palace official said Friday.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said there will be "missteps" in the battle against the new coronavirus but the government has so far made the "right decisions” in implementing early travel restric
tions on virus-hit nations and enhanced community quarantine in Luzon based on the recommendations of Duque.
"Lahat kami sa Cabinet (The entire Cabinet) gave our 100 percent support kay Secretary Duque shortly after the President made the decision that he will keep Secretary Duque," Nograles said in a virtual press briefing Friday.
"Ang gusto namin kay (What we like about) Sec Pingkoy Duque, he will tell it as it is. No ifs and buts 'yan. In this crisis, what we're facing now, we have to make hard decisions. You have to make decisions on the go -quick, decisive, hard decisions. It helps us na nandyan si Secretary Duque (Secretary Duque is there) because he will tell it as it is," he added.
Nograles insisted that with Duque's guidance, the government's coronavirus measures have helped prevent the worse case scenarios projected by some experts He said Duque has used scientific data in recommending actions to ensure public health and has not been swayed or worried about offending a certain sector.
"I think that's what the President appreciates because you have to tell it how it is right now. Walang sugar coating. Walang kaartehan (No sugar-coating, no pretense),” Nograles said.
He noted that the government's coronavirus response measures are so far similar to the action taken by its Asian neighbors to contain the spread of the virus.
"All of the decisions that were made came out to be the right decisions," he said.
"If we had not imposed a community quarantine immediately, if we had not done travel restrictions immediately, if we had not done this, if we had not done that, magkakatotoo 'yung sinabi ng WHO (World Health Organization) na 75,000 tayo infected COVID-19, (The forecast of the WHO of 75,000 infections could have become true)," he said.
At least 14 senators recently demanded the resignation of Duque for alleged failure of leadership in the country's response to the coronavirus pandemic. In a resolution, the senators claimed that Duque's negligence and inefficiency have led to "poor planning, delayed response, lack of transparency, and misguided and flip-flopping polices and measures" in dealing with the health emergency.
President Duterte asked Duque to "stay put" and told him "to work even harder to set aside any doubts on his capacity and sincerity to serve the public during these difficult times," Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said on Thursday.