MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to sign an executive order declaring a state of public health emergency due to the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) had been three weeks late.
Department of Health (DOH) secretary Francisco Duque III sought the declaration as early as Feb. 21 when the COVID-19 cases in the country were just three.
In his letter to Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Duque said the declaration would “ensure a whole-of-government response”, citing a “four-door framework” adopted by the DOH interagency task force on infectious diseases.
“Under this framework, the identification of even one case due to local transmission or sustained community transmission beyond hospital and community surge capacity puts us in the fourth or last door,” stated Duque.
Declaring a state of public health emergency would entail the activation of the Code Red, which requires that “all human and material resources must be made available for duty and deployment.”
“A declaration of public health emergency would be crucial to facilitate the sufficient and immediate access to funding, particularly for local government units, and ease processes on procurement, mandatory reporting, mandatory quarantine, and travel restrictions, among others,” added Duque.
It would also put to rest questions on whether an automatic price freeze on medicines and medical supplies may be made by the DOH and the Department of Trade and Industry, he further stated.
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said on Sunday Duterte only agreed with the declaration over the weekend “after considering all critical factors with the aim of safeguarding the health of the Filipino public.”
The country has so far confirmed six cases of COVID-19, including a 62-year-old man with no travel history abroad. The man’s wife also tested positive for the virus, making her the country’s sixth case.
DOH on Saturday raised the country’s alert system to Code Red, Sub-level 1 – a “preemptive call” for authorities and health workers to “prepare for possible increase in suspected and confirmed cases,” according to Duque.
Meanwhile, opposition senator Franklin Drilon said President Duterte may only declare a public health emergency when the COVID-19 is already a threat to national security, given the wealth of information given to him.
Citing Republic Act 11332 or the “Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act”, Drilon said the Secretary of Health has the authority to declare an epidemic of national concern, like in the case of COVID-19.
“And when the same threatens national security, the President shall declare a state of public health emergency and mobilize government and non-governmental agencies to respond to the threat. So only in cases where the epidemic threatens national security,” the Ilonggo senator told DZBB.
But Drilon said a declaration of a public health emergency should not lead to skirting of regular procurement processes on medical equipment to be used to address symptoms of COVID-19 like pneumonia and other respiratory ailments.
“Walang nakalagay sa batas na ipagtabi natin o balewalain natin ‘yung procurement laws. May bidding pa rin ‘yan,” he said. “Ang batas sinasabi lamang mandatory reporting requirement at kung naging national security issue ay puwedeng mag-declare ng public health emergency. Ngunit ‘yan nakalagay sa batas, to mobilize national agencies to respond to the threat.”/PN
