FILE – ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. France Castro the weekly press briefing at the House of Representatives on Thursday, December 5, 2019. Noy Morcoso/Inquirer.net
MANILA, Philippines—ACT Teachers Representative France Castro slammed President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to put up a P10 million reward for anyone who discovers a vaccine for COVID-19 and instead suggested that the administration use the money as funding for public health programs and research and development.
Castro, who is also the House Assistant Minority Leader, also said that the Duterte administration should focus on helping scientists in their quest for a vaccine.
“President Duterte should instead immediately put this P10 million to research and development to aid scientists in their quest to find a vaccine to COVID-19,” said Castro.
“The Duterte administration continues to use military solutions to fight a worsening health crisis due to the state’s neglect to ensure enough funds for public health and research and development programs.”
Castro said public health facilities have been gravely hit after the administration’s budget cuts that left the Department of Science and Technology with a “minimal” P20.27 billion for 2020.
The Philippine Council for Health Research and Development, which is under the DOST, has a budget of P642 million while the Department of Health for Epidemiology and Surveillance Program had its annual budget slashed in half from P262,997,000 in 2019 to P115,501,000 for 2020.
“Budget cuts of vital programs for public health made by the Duterte administration have led to a poor public health system that is not prepared for a pandemic such as COVID-19. The P10 million reward for the COVID-19 vaccine and the grants President Duterte has been floating should have been budgeted into the public health system and research and development before the pandemic happened,” said Castro.