Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Tuesday urged the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to consult more subject-matter experts from various fields and involve groups that are willing to share their expertise.
He said a whole-of-nation approach is needed to overcome the prevailing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) health crisis.
“Bukas po tayo sa mga suggestions mula sa mga doktor, ekonomista, at iba pa dahil marami naman pong gustong tumulong. Pakinggan po natin ang mga hinaing ng iba’t ibang grupo tulad nitong mga nasa medical community (We are open to suggestions from doctors, economists and others who want to help. Listen to the voice of different groups like in the medical community),” he said.
As an elected representative of the people, Go said he will continue to engage with various sectors and assure them that their voices will be heard by the government.
Regarding the suggestions of some groups to reimpose most stringent enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), Go said officials must balance various national interests and consider the capability of the government to provide assistance to the poorest of the poor and other vulnerable sectors.
“Wala naman pong may gusto na bumalik tayo ulit sa ECQ pero kung hindi po tayo magtutulungan, mapipilitan po na higpitan muli ang mga patakaran para mapigilan ang lalong pagkalat ng sakit. Ikonsidera rin natin kung kaya pa ng ating pondo at kung may maibibigay pa ba tayong ayuda kung sakaling kailanganin nating patigilin muli sa trabaho ang mga tao at magsara nanaman ang mga Negosyo (Nobody wants to go back to ECQ but if you will not cooperate, we will be forced to reimpose most strict quarantine to stop the spread of the virus. We will consider the availability of funds for cash aid if we there will be work stoppage),” Go said.
On Sunday, President Rodrigo Duterte approved the recommendations to revert Metro Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Laguna, and Rizal to more stringent modified ECQ in response to medical community’s call for “breather” and to intensify government response against the coronavirus. (PNA)