By Pearl Gumapos
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte lauded the Philippine government’s quick response when the pandemic hit the country, during his sixth and final State of the Nation Address (SONA) conducted on July 26 at the Batasang Pambansa Complex.
“We moved quickly to safeguard the well-being of every Filipino with preventive and responsive health and safety measures [through] Social Amelioration Programs,” the President said.
“It is beyond dispute that our economic governance fundamentals were robust when COVID-19 hit us. I am sure that much can be said about the way we took on the daunting challenge of preserving lives while sustaining our momentum towards developmental goals,” he added.
The President also thanked the Congress for the launch of Bayanihan 1 or Bayanihan to Heal as One Act and Bayanihan 2 or Bayanihan to Recover as One Act.
“Kahit anong krisis ay kayang malampasan kung tunay na may malasakit at bayanihan,” he said.
According to the President, testing capacity was very limited during the early stages of the pandemic.
This was quickly recognized and the government rapidly “ramped up testing capacity.”
As of now, there are more than 260 accredited laboratories nationwide which are capable of conducting 50,000 tests daily, while regions are able to conduct their own COVID-19 tests.
Some 9,000 temporary treatment and monitoring facilities across the country with a total bed capacity of more than 140,000 were built.
“Together with the local government and the private sector, we quickly established mega quarantine facilities that could accommodate more cases.Modular hospitals and quarantine facilities have also been established nationwide, especially in Metro Manila,” the President said.
“For our severe COVID cases, our tireless health workers will continue to ensure that you are provided with the best healthcare round-the-clock. Our health experts continue to actively participate in the search for safe and effective COVID-19 medicines,” he added.
Meanwhile, Congress passed certain measures that established the new and improved capacity of existing hospitals around the country to provide quality care and services.
This includes establishing new medical facilities in Mandaluyong City, Bacolod, and Davao Occidental, and increasing bed capacities in existing health facilities in Quezon City, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Palawan.
Currently, over 30 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been received and at least 36 million more are set to arrive this month, Duterte said.
“The health landscape of the country continues to improve. With the continuous approval of COVID-19 vaccines, we are ready to boost further our daily vaccination rate,” he said.
Duterte then urged LGUs to hasten vaccine rollout and also praised San Juan City for having vaccinated 70% of its population in a month’s time.
He said that while the health and safety protocols that have been put in place have proven effective in slowing down the transmission of the virus, the best solution is still to get vaccinated.
“The pandemic has taken so much from us as a nation, but like other adversities that tested us, time and again, it can never take our courage and resilience. The spirit of bayanihan and the value of the malasakit are now indelible in us Filipinos,” Duterte said. –rir