MANILA, Philippines — Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Saturday believes that the state of calamity status of the country for COVID-19 should not be extended until the end of the year.
Pimentel made this remark as he does not see the current COVID-19 situation warrants the status.
“Sa tingin ko backed up by figures na din naman tayo eh. Ang occupancy rate ng COVID bumababa na yun,” Pimentel said in a DWIZ interview when asked if he is in favor of extending the state of calamity.
(I think this is backed up by figures. The occupancy rate of COVID-19 is decreasing.)
“I do not think we have an emergency,” he added.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has said that he is likely to extend the state of calamity until the end of 2022.
However, Pimentel said authorities might need to focus on the country’s dengue figures instead.
“Kumpara pa nga sa dengue, mas masama pa nga yata ang figures ng dengue, dapat concentrate na nga tayo sa dengue din eh,” he pointed out.
(When we compare it to dengue, the figures for dengue might be much worse. Maybe we should concentrate our efforts on dengue.)
The Department of Health (DOH) said that as of August 6, there were 118,526 dengue cases reported this year, including 399 deaths. The latest tally of dengue cases in the country is 153 percent higher compared to the same period in 2021, with 46,761 cases.
On the other hand, the DOH also said the total number of COVID-19 cases as of Friday is at 3,886,395, including 23,703 active cases, 3,800,782 recoveries, and 61,910 deaths.
State of calamity to ruin PH’s image
Pimentel also believes that the declaration of a state of emergency will be bad for the country’s tourism.
“Nahuhuli na tayo sa ibang bansa, open na sila, welcoming tourists, welcoming visitors. Kung ang iba’t ibang bansa ay open na to visitors, to tourism, tapos ang Pilipinas, ‘State of calamity pa rin kami dito’, anong image natin?” the senator said.
(We are falling behind other countries in welcoming tourists and visitors. If other countries are already open to visitors and to tourism, while the Philippines says, “We are still in a state of calamity,” then what is our image?)
“Kung ako ay bakasyonista, magpa-plano ako ng bakasyon ko, pipiliin ko ang isang bansang walang declaration na meron pa din silang state of health emergency of health calamity,” Pimentel explained.
(If I were the visitor and I were planning a vacation, I would rather choose countries without a declaration of a state of a health emergency or calamity.)
In March 2020, former President Rodrigo Duterte signed Proclamation No. 922, which declared a state of public health emergency in the country due to the coronavirus outbreak.
According to the proclamation, the state of public health emergency could “remain in force and effect until lifted or withdrawn by the President.”
Duterte had also signed a separate proclamation declaring a state of calamity in the Philippines due to COVID-19.
The state of calamity was only supposed to last until September 2020 but was extended twice and will end on September 12 this year.
READ: Duterte: Philippines now under state of calamity due to COVID-19