Malacañang on Tuesday dismissed calls of some personalities to abolish the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).
During his virtual press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the prevailing surge in COVID-19 cases in the country is not the IATF-EID’s fault, but can be attributed to the presence of new Coronavirus variants, citing reports from the Department of Health.
“Tanggapin natin o hindi, nag-mutate ang mga virus at hindi naman siguro kasalanan ng IATF na nag-mutate itong mga virus sa pamamaraan na mas nakakahawa sila (Whether we accept it or not, the virus mutated and it is not the fault of the IATF if the virus mutated through transmission),” Secretary Roque reasoned.
“Ang IATF ay pinagsama-sama pong talino at galing ng buong gobyerno. At pagdating naman po sa bruyukrasya natin, hindi naman po mga pulitiko iyang nasa DOH, nasa NEDA, nasa DOF. Lahat po iyan ay mga civil service passers, the best talents that we have. (The IATF is a convergence of intelligent and brilliant minds in government. And when it comes to our bureaucracy, there are no politicians in DOH [Department of Health], NEDA [Naional Economic and Development Authority] and DOF [Department of Finance]. All of them are civil service passers, the best talents that we have.),” he highlighted.
Secretary Roque reiterated that all of the COVID-19 Task Force’s decisions, including the additional restrictions it imposed over the National Capital Region, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal, also known as ‘NCR Plus bubble,’ are based on scientific data.
He even thanked the public for their trust and support to this new measure.
“Nagagalak naman po tayo na unang-una po ‘no mukhang napakarami sa ating mga kababayan ang nagbigay ng kooperasyon nila. Bagama’t mayroon po tayong mga apprehensions relative to the total population ng Metro Manila Plus eh kakaunti lang po ito. So nagpapasalamat po kami sa kooperasyon ng ating mga taumbayan at ito naman po ay para sa kabutihan ng lahat (We are happy first of all since many of our countrymen are giving their cooperation. While we had apprehensions relative to the total population of Metro Manila Plus, this is still very small. So we thank the public for their cooperation for the good of all),” he lauded.
The Palace official shared, among the IATF’s next agenda is to finalize the quarantine classifications it will impose for other cities and provinces outside ‘NCR Plus’ starting April.
“Well, iyan po ay pagpupulungan pa rin ng IATF. Pero mayroon naman pong susunod na pagpupulong ang IATF sa linggong ito. Normally, it is about this time of the month na binibigay iyong preliminary data at it will be in the last week of the month na magkakaroon ng desisyon (Well, that is what the IATF will be discussing. But the IATF has another meeting this week. Normally, it is about this time of the month when preliminary data is given and it will be in the last week of the month when a decision will be made,” he disclosed.
Senator Imee Marcos earlier called for the abolition of the IATF, which also got support from some of her colleagues in the Upper Chamber of Congress. In a separate statement, former government adviser Dr. Tony Leachon expressed the same sentiment.
Aside from disregarding the proposal, Secretary Roque, in general, cited politics as motive of some critics floating the idea.
“Kapag panahon na talaga ng eleksiyon, lahat ginagawan ng isyu. Hindi natin made-deny iyan (During election time, all things are turned into issues. We cannot deny that,” he observed. -Mela Lesmoras
