After the Senate hearing on the COVID-19 crisis, some senators pointed out that Health Secretary Francisco Duque III must be relieved from his post.
For some senators, it is time to make concrete solutions since the COVID-19 cases in the country has reached 14,000.
“I would like to think that we all deserve a better chance to live even under strict quarantine conditions. Having said that, the secretary may consider taking the initiative to quit his post as an act of sacrifice, especially for the sake of those outside of the 868 dead Filipinos and 14,035 others so far confirmed by DOH as officially infected,” Sen. Panfilo Lacson Sr. suggested.
“Worse, our tax money is apparently being taken advantage of by greed and callousness under the present leadership of the DOH,” Lacson added.
Senator Francis Pangilinan said it is “better late than never” and that he mentioned the “failure of leadership” almost four months ago during the Senate Health Committee hearing.
Senator Risa Hontiveros also called for a system overhaul. She claimed the public trust on the COVID-19 response of the government decreases each day due to the lack of and unorganized leadership of the secretary.
Senator Vicente Sotto III pointed out that the replacement of Sec. Duque must be “one with health expertise and no business interests.”
A Senate hearing on the state of the country’s healthcare system is set tomorrow. Senator Christopher Go said that as chair of the Senate Committee on Health, they will make sure the healthcare system will be better while the country tries to surpass the COVID-19 crisis.
Meanwhile, Roque disclosed he does not have any information on reports regarding the President’s search for Health Secretary Duque’s replacement. – Report from Eunice Samonte
