Negosyo buksan, mass testing gawin na — solons

NANINIWALA ang ilan sa mga kongresista na kailangan nang tigilan ang lockdown, buksan na ang negosyo at isagawa ang mass-testing upang maiwasan ang pagkalat ng COVID-19 sa bansa.

Desmayado rin ang mga mambabatas sa pamamalakad ni Health Secretary Francisco Duque kaugnay sa patuloy na pagtaas ng kaso ng nakamamatay na sakit.

Ayon kay Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, Anakalusugan party-list Rep. Mike Defensor at Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin, kailangan nang paigtingin ng pamahalaan ang mass testing sa COVID-19 imbes i-lockdown ang mga tao.

Sinuportahan nila ang paniwala ni San Miguel Corporation President at Chief Operating Officer Ramon Ang  na nagsabing “we cannot lockdown forever because people need to work to pay for their meals” and survive.

“We should intensify mass testing, implement test trace and treat and big corporations should do this on their own employees and maybe their families too… the initiative of RSA (Ramon Ang) should be the cue of all corporations,” ayon kay Barbers, ang chairman ng House committee on dangerous drugs.

Ani Barbers, matindi ang mga pagkakamaling nagawa ni Duque mula nang dumating ang COVID-19.

“From day one when he said let’s not ban flights coming from China, specifically Wuhan and Hubei province, which led to fast spread of the virus when a Chinese woman arrived here then travelled to Cebu and Dumaguete,” alaala ni Barbers.

“And to aggravate the situation more, he did not do the testing as soon as possible. He waited for the private sector to initiate… he comes out with pronouncements that have no basis and contrary to facts all the time, which was dismissed likewise by his fellow Cabinet members… and because of these blunders by no less than the secretary, it has eroded the confidence and credibility of the people in the DoH,” paliwanag ni Barbers.

Sa panig ni Defensor, sa kawalan ng vaccine, “mass testing is the only qualified undertaking that can assuage the work area and other business entities.”

“I agree with Mr. Ramon Ang. There should be a calibrated balance between health and economic concerns. Ayaw nating magkasakit sa COVID ang mga tao at ayaw din nating mamatay sila sa gutom. For example, the curfew, for trucks delivering products in the past like consumer goods, manufacturing materials and construction materials should now be allowed to allow trade and construction which are allowed activities in the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) memos,” ani Defensor, chairman ng House committee on public accounts. Kay Garin na dating secretary ng Department of Health, dapat naka-focus na ang DOH sa mass-testing.

Sa panig ng tinaguriang testing czar Vince Dizon, ang kawalan ng disiplina ng tao ang dahilan ng pagkalat ng COVID-19.

“We think it is testing, tracing, health care system, advancement in technology, but actually, it is not. It is plain and simple discipline of the population,” ayon kay Dizon na hindi pinaniniwalaan ng mga eksperto sa larangan ng kalusugan.

Ayon kay Dr. Gene Nisperos ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas, ang ibang bansa kagaya ng South Korea at Taiwan ay pinakinabangan ang kanilang natutuhan sa nakaraang pandemya ng SARS.

“Taiwan and South Korea learned from their SARS experience and used this to plan and quickly implement a pandemic response. People then followed. Here, government has no clear plans but demands blind obedience. The DOH cannot even produce reliable data,” ayon kay Nisperos.

“Mag-aral ka muna, Vince,” ani Nisperos.

(GERRY BALDO)