Headline
PBBM eyes extension of state of public health emergency
Marcos said there was also a plan to amend the law on government procurement “in the middle of an emergency.” (File Photo: Bongbong Marcos/Facebook)
MANILA – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said he is considering extending the validity of the state of public health emergency amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
In a media interview during the “PinasLakas” vaccine campaign at SM City Manila, Marcos said he is already discussing with Department of Health (DOH) Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire the possible extension of the state of public health emergency “until the end of the year.”
“Yes, we were just discussing it with Usec. Vergeire,” Marcos said.
Marcos said there was also a plan to amend the law on government procurement “in the middle of an emergency.”
He was referring to Republic Act (RA) 11525 or the act expediting the vaccine procurement and administration process.
On Tuesday, Vergeire said the DOH is recommending amending the provisions of RA 11525, in case the state of calamity declaration due to the Covid-19 pandemic is not extended.
Vergeire noted that apart from the national Covid-19 vaccination drive, there are other protocols linked with the declaration of state of calamity, including the emergency use authority for coronavirus jabs, emergency procurement of vaccines, tax exemptions for vaccine manufacturers and donors, price caps on medicines used for Covid-19 treatment, and additional benefits of healthcare workers.
It was on March 16, 2020 when former President Rodrigo Duterte first declared a state of calamity all throughout the country for six months because of the threat posed by the Covid-19.
On Sept. 2020, Duterte extended the state of calamity for another year, or until Sept. 12, 2021 through Proclamation 1021.
Duterte, by virtue of Proclamation 1218, again extended the state of calamity throughout the country for one year from Sept. 13, 2021 to Sept. 12, 2022.
Proclamation 1218 states that the extension will allow the national government, as well as local governments, to continue the implementation of Covid-19 vaccination program, augment pandemic response funds, monitor and control prices of basic necessities and prime commodities, and provide basic services to the affected populations.
Precy Bueno-Macol
August 17, 2022 at 10:09 PM
With the new implementation of Face to Face learning I think it would be a great topic to ponder for PBBM if the government would extend the public health emergency for we would expose the youth now directly to the virus without the safety of their homes and comes with that countless risks that may results to new surge of cases that would affect many sectors of the country again. We cannot idle and be complacent just because we have vaccines and protocols because we we’re still in the middle of the war with the virus and we can’t predict when will the crisis would strike again and if we’re in the state of emergency/alertness it wouldn’t be a bolt from the blue
just like 2020 and we would be ready to fight again.
Jam Aguirre
August 18, 2022 at 10:14 AM
Sa bagong pagpapatupad ng Face-to-Face na pag-aaral, naniniwala ako na magiging napakahusay na paksang isasaalang-alang para sa PBBM kung palawigin ng gobyerno ang pampublikong emerhensiyang pangkalusugan dahil direktang ilantad natin ang mga kabataan sa virus nang walang kaligtasan sa kanilang mga tahanan at darating. na may napakaraming panganib na maaaring magresulta sa isang bagong pagdagsa ng mga kaso na muling makakaapekto sa maraming sektor ng bansa. Dahil nilalabanan pa rin natin ang virus at hindi natin masasabi kung kailan ito muling aatake o kung tayo ay nasa isang emergency o alerto na sitwasyon, hindi tayo maaaring maupo at maging kampante dahil lamang mayroon tayong mga bakuna at protocol.