FILE PHOTO Sen. Francis Tolentino (Henzberg Austria/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Francis Tolentino on Wednesday described the government’s COVID-19 pandemic response as a “hit and miss in some areas” in the country, noting how the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases acts as if it “is the government.”
“Definitely no playbook for this. [The] 1918 pandemic was not a playbook. There are no rules. So, you rely on the police powers of the state, how to address an emergency. Lapses were made, I have to admit,” Tolentino, President Rodrigo Duterte’s ally, told ANC when asked for his description of the government’s pandemic response.
“Correct measures were likewise made. So, I would probably describe it as a hit-and-miss in some areas. Correct measures [were implemented], but lockdowns were too frequent,” he added.
Tolentino also reiterated his call to abolish the IATF as it is time to use another approach.
“If failure would be described as failure to immediately achieve normalcy, that’s probably beyond their paycheck. For me, they tried to do something but I would rate their response as okay. But, it has come to a point that we have to simmer down,” the senator explained.
“They have to let go of some of their functions and just let the LGUs (local government units), just let the Department of Health, the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) pursue their real mandates. They have achieved their usefulness. They have peaked and I think they have done their best,” he further said.
Tolentino noted that the new approach would be permitting more liberties for the public, private sectors, and LGUs amid the coronavirus crisis.
“Right now, it is as if the IATF is the government. But, it’s not supposed to be that way. They were not elected to pursue policies behind closed doors. This has to be more inclusive to include the private sector, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce, etc.,” he noted.
“Nothing against the IATF. They have done their job but it’s now time for us to shift to another gear and enable the other players to really perform what they are supposed to do,” Tolentino said.