Sen. Grace Poe. PRIB Photo
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Grace Poe has filed a bill seeking to establish a Center for Disease Control (CDC) that would lead the Philippines’ communicable disease control and prevention initiatives and fortify the country’s preparedness and response to public health crises.
Poe filed Senate Bill No. 1450 or the “Pandemic Preparedness and Response Act,” which she said drew inspiration from a similar measure filed by the late Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago in 2013.
“As the adage aptly puts it, ‘An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure,’ and of course, much better than having to contend with huge socio-economic losses,” Poe said in a statement on Tuesday.
The bill, the senator explained, would create the country’s own CDC, which would spearhead the formulation of a national strategy to anticipate and address public health emergencies and provide proper direction on such health threats.
The CDC would also provide consultation and assistance to other nations and international agencies to collaborate and partner in improving the effectiveness of disease prevention and control mechanisms, she further noted.
“We need to strengthen our preparedness and become far more equipped in the face of continuing health risks. We all have a stake in this,” Poe said.
The senator’s bill comes as the Philippine government scrambles to contain the spread of the SAR-CoV-2, which causes the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
As of Monday afternoon, Philippine health officials have confirmed 7,777 COVID-19 cases in the country. Of these cases, 932 have recovered from the disease while 511 have died.