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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider VP writes Roque to give suggestions on COVID-19 response

VP writes Roque to give suggestions on COVID-19 response

Published Jul 12, 2020 03:07 pm

Vice President Leni Robredo has sent a letter to presidential spokesperson Harry Roque giving suggestions to  improve the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Vice President Leni Robredo
(Photo by Charlie Villegas / OVP / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)

Robredo said her letter to Roque discussed local stranded individuals (LSIs) to the government’s testing program and the Department of Health’s (DoH) “fresh” and “late” classification system in reporting COVID-19 cases.

”Lahat ng suggestions ko sinulat ko.  Natutuwa ako kasi mayroong mga iba na mukhang kino-consider naman (I wrote all of my suggestions. I’m happy because some of them are being considered),” she said.

For instance, Robredo cited the DoH’s move to veer away from its classification system and instead present a new method of reporting COVID-19 cases in the country.

Robredo had been a vocal critic of DoH’s classification of new coronavirus cases, saying that she does not understand its logic.

The Vice President said she likewise recommended the procurement of 10 million testing kits must cover the LSIs.

“Mayroong minemention si (testing czar) Secretary (Vince) Dizon na mga itetest pero hindi ko nakikita doon iyong mga stranded. Sana maisali, kabahagi din ito ng ating sulat (Dizon mentioned those who will be tested, but I don’t see there those stranded. I hope they will be included),” she said.

Robredo sent the letter to Roque after he told her that she should just ask him for the information on the government’s efforts in dealing with the country’s COVID-19 situation.

Roque was responding to the previous remark of the opposition leader that President Duterte’s weekly comprehensive reports to Congress were not enough when she criticized the administration’s COVID-19 response.

In the letter to Roque, Robredo suggested to implement service contracting instead of the boundary system for jeepney drivers affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

“Kasi kung boundary system, lugi iyong mga drivers natin. Gawin na lang service contracting kasi para kahit hindi puno iyong dyip mayroong kita (Because if it’s a boundary system, the drivers would be at the losing end. Let us make it service contracting, so that they will somehow have an income even as the jeeps are not filled),” she said.

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