Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III on Saturday backed the place of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who was hesitant to increase the state of the calamity within the nation because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I agree with the President. COVID-19 specifically is no longer the cause of any ‘calamity’ here in the Philippines,” Pimentel stated in a message to reporters.
Marcos on Thursday stated he was not eager on additional extending the state of calamity, which was on account of expire on Saturday, regardless of a request from the Department of Health (DOH).
“I’m still very, very hesitant to continue the state of calamity, to extend it, because again, we are not in a state of calamity anymore, technically speaking,” Marcos stated.
“And that is the wrong mindset to be approaching the New Year with. So we’re still trying to find ways to continue to provide the benefits to our health workers which is the main issue without the state of calamity,” he added.
However, the DOH on Friday stated the nation’s COVID-19 vaccination program can be affected if the state of calamity was not prolonged.
“[W]e cannot procure additional doses, including the bivalent vaccines. Also, it is expected that the number of vaccinators will decrease as other cadres such as pharmacists may no longer be tapped and willingness to vaccinate may decrease as immunity from liability is not guaranteed,” it stated.
The DOH expressed openness to alternate options to stop the disruption of the vaccination program, just like the potential grant of a particular authority to buy. —Sherylin Untalan/VBL, GMA Integrated News
