Muntinlupa Lone District Rep. Ruffy Biazon. INQUIRER.net photo / Katrina Hallare
MANILA, Philippines — For Muntinlupa Rep. Rufino Biazon, Health Secretary Francisco Duque’s absence in a House hearing on government’s response to the threat of novel coronavirus showed where his priorities lie.
House committee on Metro Manila Development chair Rep. Manuel Lopez said Duque, who was expected to be present in the hearing on the government’s response to nCoV and other health issues, sought to be excused as he was in Nueva Ecija to inspect a proposed containment facility there.
This, however, did not sit well with Biazon, who was quick to hit Duque’s priorities.
Biazon is a member of the House panel.
“On the way to this hearing, I heard over the radio that the secretary is on the way to Nueva Ecija to inspect a proposed containment facility. So I guess this shows the type of priorities that the secretary has,” Biazon added.
“As the overall in charge of handling this crisis, I believe he should have been here. Hindi yung taga-inspektor na lang ng mga kwarto (He should not simply be an inspector of facilities),” the lawmaker added.
Since Duque is absent, Biazon said that there will be questions during the hearing that would not be answered, which would not help in ensuring the public that the government is able to manage the health situation.
“The inability to answer by the Department of Health, by the secretary of health who is the overall manager of this crisis, will not help in uplifting the confidence of the people that we are managing this crisis well,” Biazon said.
The lawmaker then asked Duque’s representatives to send him a message: “Ayusin po niya yung kanyang priorities.”
(Tell him to fix his priorities.)
There are currently two confirmed cases of nCoV in the country—the second case involved a 44-year old Chinese man who was admitted at the San Lazaro Hospital in Sta. Cruz, Manila for pneumonia after experiencing fever, cough, and sore throat.
The Chinese man passed away on Saturday, February 1, making him the first case of nCoV death outside China.