Drilon: Only DOH should speak on virus
MANILA, Philippines — Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said the administration should speak with one voice on the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) with the Department of Health (DOH) as the lead agency after pronouncements by other departments have led to confusion and complaints.
Drilon in particular pointed to the directive of the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board for public (LTFRB) utility vehicle drivers to wear face masks to prevent the spread of nCoV.
Drilon said this was in conflict with the statements of DOH Assistant Secretary Kenneth Ronquillo in a Senate hearing on Tuesday, where the latter said that masks should be worn by health workers who deal with patients being monitored for possible exposure to nCoV.
Ronquillo also said there was no need for others not exposed to these persons to wear masks, and added that there was already a shortage of these items.
Mask requirement
Drilon said that PUV drivers were complaining against the LTFRB face mask requirement, which, it turns out, the DOH deems unnecessary.
The DOH should be the only one speaking on matters related to nCoV, he said. Maybe a directive from the President could solve the problem, he added.
“Can we work out internally an arrangement in the Cabinet that when it comes to nCoV, the DOH should be the lead speaker?”Drilon said at a hearing of the Senate tourism committee.
“The Cabinet is not exactly known to have a coordinated message especially in the VFA (Visiting Forces Agreement). You have four different Cabinet officials saying four different things,” he added.
If there are questions about the virus, administration officials should refer the matter to the DOH, he further said.
Ronquillo said the DOH had taken the lead in an interagency task force dealing with nCoV.
Sen. Nancy Binay, who chairs the tourism committee, said somebody from the DOH could speak with the Department of Transportation about the face mask requirement for drivers.
“The jeepney drivers are complaining because there is even a penalty if they don’t wear the mask, which apparently is unnecessary,” said Binay.
She also said having the DOH as the only one speaking on nCoV would help fight the spread of false information.
