Isko Moreno offers anti-COVID drugs to Central Luzon patients
Manila City Mayor and presidential aspirant Isko Moreno Domagoso and running mate Doc Willie Ong, together with Aksyon Demokratiko’s senatorial slate, visited Mabalacat City Hall in Pampanga on Thursday, December 2, to show support for incumbent Mayor Cris Garbo, who is gunning for reelection.
MANILA, Philippines — True to his principle that the City of Manila is open to all Filipinos, Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso is offering anti-Covid 19 medicines to patients infected by the coronavirus and who are now in various hospitals in Central Luzon.
“Ingat tayong lahat. Marami pa ring Covid infections. Magpabakuna sa lalong madaling panahon para sa dagdag na proteksyon” Moreno on Wednesday told more than 2,000 farmers and members of the transport sector in Talavera, Nueva Ecija.
Moreno’s Aksyon Demokratiko team is currently on a Listening Tour in Central Luzon. After Nueva Ecija, Team Isko Moreno will be in Mabalacat and Angeles City in Pampanga today.
Tomorrow (Dec. 3), they will be in the cities of Malolos and Meycauayan in Bulacan.
Moreno said the City of Manila has a ready supply of known anti-Covid drugs such as Remdesivir, Tocilizumab, Molnupiraivir and Baricitinib which he described as hard to find drugs.
“Itong mga gamot na ito mahirap makita sa mundo, mahirap talaga. Kahit mayaman hindi makabili nito, mano pang mahirap. Kapag nagka-Covid kayo, nag-alala kayo, nanganganib ang mahal ninyo sa buhay huwag kayong mahihiya sa Lungsod ng Maynila kasi niyayakap namin ang bawat tao sa loob at labas Lungsod ng Maynila,” Moreno pointed out.
Knowing too well that anti-Covid drugs are not easy to source and procure, Moreno said Manila is opening its doors to non-city residents to be able to receive the medicines once the need arises.
“Binanggit ko iyan kasi hindi ko alam, hindi ko kayang hulaan ang mangyayari bukas kung tayo ay mangangailangan. Pero kung sakali lang kumatok lang kayo, welcome kayo sa Maynila,” Moreno said.
During the surge in Covid-19 infections this year, the City of Manila has been generous in giving out to other local government units (LGUs) anti-viral drugs such as Remdesivir and Tocilizumab which were hailed as life-saving medicines.
Moreno maintained then that instead of buying face shields, the national government should procure the two anti-Covid 19 drugs which have been proven effective in combatting the coronavirus infection.
Last week, around 40,000 capsules of Molnupiravir were delivered to the Sta. Ana Hospital in Manila where there is sufficient storage space for the antiviral drug that is said to reduce the risk of hospitalization and death of Covid patients by 50 percent.
Moreno formally handed several boxes of Molnupiravir to the Manila Covid 19 Field Hospital in Luneta as a symbolic gesture that mild to moderate Covid patients can be assured of adequate treatment with the new wonder drug.
Molnupiravir is the first oral antiviral drug that can prevent mild to moderate cases of Covid-19 from progressing into severe disease that will need hospitalization.
Earlier this week, around 6,000 capsules of Baricitinib, another anti-Covid 19 drug were given to the City of Manila through Mayor Isko and Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna.
Moreno’s running mate, Dr. Willie Ong told the audience that during Moreno’s time as vice-mayor of the city, he was instrumental in getting 20 people undergo successful liver transplant with each operation costing around P2 million.
Ong said through Moreno’s efforts, the quality of healthcare in Manila greatly improved with the construction of more public hospitals that cater to the medical needs of its people.
The Covid-19 pandemic last year, Ong said, also proved that Moreno is a man of action when he ordered the construction of the Manila Covid-19 Field Hospital in Rizal Park in record 52 days.
“Sa Maynila libre ang dialysis, gamutan, artificial leg, etc. Mga senior citizens may P500 buwan-buwan. Simpleng operasyon kaya niyang gawin. Siya na ang tulay, kailangan lang maging presidente,” Ong said.
“Kaya sa lahat ng mga presidential candidates na lumapit sa akin nakita ko si Mayor Isko Moreno na talagang seryoso na i-address itong pandemya at ayusin ‘yung kalusugan. Nagawa nya sa Maynila ang napakaraming ospital. Ang plano namin, mga provincial hospitals i-improve. Lagyan natin ng ICUs, lagyan ng gamit para pumasok ‘yung mga doctors,” Ong explained.
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