Robredo says COVID-19 response lacks ‘strategic direction’

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo has admitted that having government agencies work cohesively regarding the COVID-19 pandemic response remains to be a big challenge with the current political climate.

Robredo said during a forum on public health that the country faces a deep divide which greatly affects the COVID-19 response due to departments and branches of government acting on their own — similar to her previous observation that it seems no one is manning government efforts.

“Dapat merong konduktor na hina-harmonize ‘yung ginagawa ng lahat para alam natin na iisa lang ‘yung horizon na tinitingnan natin. Hindi ‘yung ang ahensiyang ito may ginagawang sarili, ang ahensiyang ito may ginagawang sarili,” she said on Wednesday.

“Hamon ito, especially given the current political context: May divisiveness sa lipunan, kulang sa linaw ang strategic direction; ‘yung dapat nagiging center of gravity ng tulong, parang nagkukumpetensya pa,” she added.

Robredo said that despite these issues, people in government must continue to strive to make things better especially since lives are at stake with the pandemic.

“Ito ‘yung reality natin, pero hindi natin puwedeng sukuan ang situwasyon. Hindi tayo puwedeng magpa-paralyze, dahil buhay ang nakataya,” she said.

“Gaya ng lagi kong sinasabi, kapag malaki ang hamon, mas malaki ang pagkakataon—pagkakataong makilahok, pagkakataong makatulong, pagkakataong makiambag. So ano man ‘yung krisis o sakuna ang dumating sa atin, kailangang ipakita na natin na bitbit natin ‘yung isa’t isa. Basta sama-sama tayo, lahat, kaya natin,” she added.

Robredo did not mention what specific “competition” happened, but at the height of the government efforts for the recent typhoons, the Office of the Vice President drew flak from administration supporters for allegedly competing with President Rodrigo Duterte.

The Vice President used her social media platforms for the purpose of linking people in Cagayan Valley and Marikina who may need rescue due to the floods, but the government took offense saying that Robredo made it appear that the government was not in control of the situation.

For her part, Robredo assured that she and her office would try their best to build on the things that they have been using to address the root problems of the pandemic: data gathering, collaboration, and convergence.

“So ito siguro ‘yung pinaka-lesson na maiaambag ko sa inyo. Siguro balikan natin—‘yung data; ‘yung collaboration and convergence; ‘yung pag-aasikaso na ‘yung mahalagang factor ng collaboration ‘yung trust, pinaghihirapan natin ‘yon; ‘yung pagme-make sure na walang naiiwan sa ginagawa natin; pagme-make sure na lahat nagwo-work in harmony with each other,” Robredo said.

“Pag nasunod natin ‘yon, ‘yun ‘yung pinaka-basic, ako very confident na mas madali natin maayos ‘yung ating public services delivery natin sa ating mga constituents,” she added.

EDV