SECRETARY Carlito Galvez Jr. on Thursday, July 30, 2020, said the lack of investments in the country’s health system is among the constraints that the government is faced with in its battle against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
He said the government “was not able to invest” in health facilities.
“Nakita rin po natin na ang isang malaking ano natin is, as a nation, we were not able to prepare iyong ating mga health facilities. Kung makikita natin, karamihan sa mga health ano natin, we were not able to invest as a nation, sa health facilities natin,” he said in a briefing.
“Kung makikita natin iyong ating ... lalo sa mga ibang nasa regional areas, other regional areas. Tingnan natin sa Region IV-A, nakita natin na walang halos Level 3 na ospital doon. Kaya makikita natin na nao-overwhelm ang ating sistema dahil iyong preparation time natin for building up our capacities, supposed to be dapat iyon mga three to four administrations pa,” he added.
Galvez, who is the chief implementer for the National Task Force Against Covid-19, said the government is trying to address the rise in new Covid-19 cases.
“That’s why we created iyong tinatawag nating four czars para at least iyong ano, mabilis ang ating aksyon ngayon,” said Galvez.
He also said the Filipino people’s failure to observe social distancing is the reason for the spike in the number of infections.
Galvez was asked what the government’s lapses are in securing the health of its people, as evidenced by the rising numbers of Covid-19 cases.
“Tingnan natin kasi iyong sitwasyon natin dito sa Pilipinas. Talagang dapat hindi natin i-compare sa ibang bansa dahil kasi, iba iyong political situtation doon at saka iba rin ang culture, at maraming variables na nakita natin eh,” Galvez said.
“Ang medyo mahirap na nakita natin dito sa atin is that iyong talagang behavioral culture ng mga tao natin na nakita natin na ang daming mga violations. Iyon ang nakikita natin na isa sa mga hindrances at challenges natin,” he added.
He blamed the Filipino people’s failure to comply with the social distancing protocols and wearing of masks.
“Iyong iba na nasa probinsiya, actually kapag nga nandoon ako, nag-i-inspect ako sa mga ospital, they are not observing iyong social distancing. Mas mataas ang level of observance natin dito sa Metro Manila. And in fact, nagkakaroon pa sila ng mga buffet at saka mga tinatawag nating mga celebrations. At saka may mga tinatawag tayong mga groupings na dapat hindi nga magkaroon ng mga mass gatherings,” Galvez said.
But a survey conducted by the by YouGov in partnership with Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London showed that 91 percent of Filipinos always wear masks whenever they go out.
The survey showed that the Philippines ranks second among the 29 countries with the highest percentage of citizens who wear masks outside.
According to Galvez, unlike other countries, the Philippines has “collateral challenges” such as testing repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and bringing them back to their hometowns.
“May mga tinatawag tayong collateral challenges na wala doon sa ibang bansa. Unang-una, noong nagkaroon ng contraction ang worldwide economy, dumagsa sa atin ang ating OFW. So instead na ma-test natin iyong ating mga LGUs, more than 6,000 a day dito sa NCR nabubuhos natin doon sa OFW,” Galvez said.
“So marami dito sa Metro Manila na nakatira dito, gusto nilang umuwi sa probinsiya. Sa ngayon, more or less, nasa 200,000 na iyong nag-signify na umuwi sa probinsiya. Instead na nakatutok tayo sa pandemic crisis, itong mga collaterals ang medyo nakita natin na bumubuhos ng ating suporta,” he said. (SunStar Philippines)