"Changing schemes, a budget cut, and a still worrying populace"
(Or: "Thoughts after the recent change over alert level quarantine schemes,
budget cut on health services, and people worrying under COVID19)
Both unsurprising and worrisome as conditions on public health, economy, and politics under the Duterte regime has continue to worsen.
Especially after the regime's irresponsibility in its tasks amidst this pandemic, the country reported last friday 20,336 more COVID19 cases, with deaths more than 300, the highest in almost a month according to the Department of Health. This situation has worried concerned groups, especially those of health workers and professionals who expressed government neglect in the health sector especially with insufficient budget for hospitals and staff to those of low vaccination, while at the same time seeing officials profiteering from it in connivance with traders using the pandemic as an opportunity for their vested interests.
With this situation would say that assurances of economic recovery being bragged by the authorities is becoming an empty phrase. True that everyone wanted a return to normalcy after being battered by the pandemic; but by seeing the government failing to ramp up vaccination, improving health facilities, support health workers, conduct contact tracing, testing, and immediate treatment those hopes of economic recovery under this Delta variant is impeded.
Worse, to hear news about officials profiteering along with suppliers who doesn't supply medicines for the much-needed hospitals and patients but that of face shields and face masks to be sold and profited. Is this what the government treats the pandemic- that of a moneymaking scheme while provoking fear towards the folk? No wonder why other than depending on donated vaccines from China the government can't seriously treat this situation based on health and science but that of their distorted "peace and order"! In fact, the budget for the Department of Health (DOH) only comprises 4.81% or P242 Billion of the total proposed P5.024 Trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2022. The 2022 proposed DOH budget amounting to P242 Billion is itself deceptive because 33% or the P79.9B of the total proposed budget is allotted to PHilhealth. The actual DOH budget under the Office of the Secretary allotment is only P157 Billion. The budget for the seventy-six public hospitals that directly provides health services to the people is under this item. Will people just stay mum as authorities emphasise lockdowns instead of ramping up healthcare capacity? Remember: reports show that nationwide intensive care unit bed capacity is now at 70%. Furthermore, an increasing number of hospitals in the National Capital Region and neighboring areas confine their COVID19 patients outdoors.
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Last September 16, the country has shifted to a new alert level quarantine scheme to halt the spread of COVID-19 cases while trying to revive the pandemic-battered economy. This also followed by the application of "Granular Lockdowns" that limits to that of areas really affected by the pandemic. According to the authorities, this procedure "is meant to keep the economy running while ensuring public health."
This may also sound a "win-win" solution for some sectors particularly that of the business community, while on the other hand criticised by the health experts with health reform advocate Dr. Tony Leachon said that a stricter quarantine classification is the answer to slow down infections in the region and the whole nation, instead favouring an extension of the current modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) status in Metro Manila. On the other hand, OCTA Research fellow Dr. Guido David favoured the implementation, but he added that granular lockdowns must be complemented by other interventions, such as randomized mass testing, more aggressive contact tracing, and early detection and isolation efforts to effectively curb the spread of the virus.
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Despite the recent worrisome events, this note hopes that the folk will continue to seek truth from facts. Whereas Duterte doesn't care about the situation the way he tries to protect his corrupted and interest-seeking officials, the folk themselves will start caring its fellow- and that mutuality is itself a weapon especially in a time despots trying to break sense of community like the attempts to demonise community pantries several months ago.
And now that the government changed its policy to that of localised lockdowns, this doesn't mean "it will lighten the situation". Expect entrenched entities in connivance with corrupt bureaucrats finding ways to make profit out of the desperate needs of the people from food, medicine, and other basic necessities, what more that with the government budget for health services as not enough to sustain operations nor support the well being of the sickly, needy patients (especially with the apparent surge of Delta variant, increasing number of COVID19 infection among the ranks of health workers as totally alarming!), this is way contrary to what the administration is bragging off- that of its pet "Build, Build, Build" project as the Department of Public Works and Highways has an allotted budget worth P686.1 Billion which eats up almost four times more than the budget the Department of Health has!
Clearly, the government has no compassion nor empathy to the sad plight of the folk, especially health workers who worked hard in this time of pandemic-driven crisis, and many of them either fell ill or died trying to save lives and yet the health and safety of these working folks is not a priority at all. For sure the government is still tinkering about the idea of having a "monument for the fallen frontliners", but damn that idea! For the fact that the budget cut on health services in the midst of a pandemic will surely lead to further deterioration and eventual collapse of our entire health care system.