Local government units are trying their best to fight the COVID-19 pandemic while protecting and providing every necessity for their respective constituents, without support from the Department of Health.
On Thursday afternoon, Kapuso actress Janine Gutierrez called out DOH to have some sense of urgency to step up with their efforts.
The LGU's are trying. Konting urgency naman @DOHgovph! https://t.co/FACyFyryfC
— nini (@janinegutierrez) March 26, 2020
Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto has initiated several programs to make things easier for medical professionals and other frontliners by implementing precautionary measurements such as:
- Purchased disinfectant drones and vitamins for his constituents
- Distributed Php400,000.00 worth of food packs
- Fully paid the salaries of city hall employees
- Set up mobile kitchen and disinfection in City Hall area
- Set up sanitation tent
- Initiated bus service for essential personnel
To participate in social distancing during the enhanced community quarantine, Vico implemented five mobile palengkes.
Upang mabawasan ang dami ng tao sa Pasig Mega Market at mga talipala, inilunsad namin ang MOBILE PALENGKE.
Presyong palengke, mas malapit sa mamimili, at tulong na rin sa mga maninindang Pasigueño.
(Sa Pasig PIO FB ipo-post ang schedule ng 5 Mobile Palengke.)#SocialDistancing pic.twitter.com/oKb9iVmktx
— Vico Sotto (@VicoSotto) March 24, 2020
Meanwhile, Marikina City Mayor Marcy Teodoro expressed his frustration over DOH’s delaying tactics in approving the city’s COVID-19 testing center for his constituents.
Mayor Marcy was able to set up a Php3.8 million molecular laboratory with the collaboration of the University of the Philippines National Institute of Health to conduct mass testing for his constituents. In addition to that, members of World Health Organization and Research Institue for Tropical Medicine have conducted thorough training and assessment of the laboratory. The Department of Health only needs to approve it to operate, but the latter seems to lack some sense of urgency.
Marcy said: “Ang feeling ko we’re treated as an applicant for a license to operate. Sabi ko sa kanila they should not treat us as an applicant, kung di partner sana na local government kasi crisis situation, public health emergency.”
While there have been people who have died without getting tested, some politicians and VIPs have gotten tested using limited COVID-19 test kits.
He continued: “Ang mungkahi natin is tulungan, bigyan ng technical assistance itong laboratory sa Marikina para magamit. Sa ngayon po talagang kailangan natin ng testing center dahil available na po ang testing kits dito. Ang nangyayari ngayon, COVID-positive na, namatay na ‘yung pasyente hindi pa natetest eh. Kaya mahalaga yung testing para sa’min, yung access ng ordinaryong Pilipino hindi yung mga may kaya.”
Marikina Mayor Marcy Teodoro says he’s frustrated over DOH’s bureaucracy on approval of the city’s Covid testing center. “…e minsan may mararamdaman ka ding galit nakikita mo kababayan mo naghihirap e wala silang ganitong access sa ganitong pasilidad,” he said. | @makipulido pic.twitter.com/RqZP3jhb0I
— GMA Integrated News (@gmanews) March 24, 2020
The current update on the COVID-19 cases in the Philippines has increased to 707 and the death toll has risen to 45.
