DOH pressing Congress to pass supplemental funds for COVID-19 response

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III. Senate PRIB / file photo

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) has called on Congress to approve the over P2-billion supplemental budget to augment the government’s response against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Health Secretary Francisco Duque said Wednesday he has already reached out to House leaders to swiftly act on the proposed supplemental budget, adding that President Rodrigo Duterte has given his consent on the additional fund.

Two lawmakers have filed separate bills seeking a supplemental budget of over P2 billion.

In the meantime, Duque said the Department of Budget has offered over P500 million to cover medical equipment while the government waits for the approval of the proposed supplemental budget.

The Health chief also stressed that medical supplies are rapidly depleting globally as COVID-19 infection reached over 70 countries.

“‘Yung worldwide shortage hindi raw nakita ito ng mga suppliers. Kaya ngayon ay nag-aagawan sa totoo lang. Pati WHO [World Health Organization] hirap na hirap,” Duque said in an interview over dzMM.

(Suppliers had not foreseen this worldwide shortage. That is why, to be honest, there is scrambling happening. Even the WHO is struggling.)

There’s no confirmed local transmission yet in the Philippines, the DOH earlier said.

It has so far recorded three cases of the virus, all of whom were travelers from Wuhan, China, where the outbreak originated.

More than 3,100 people have died from the coronavirus, while over 92,000 have been infected worldwide.

Edited by JPV