Sen. Christopher Go (Photo from his office)
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go backs the proposed extension of the state of calamity in the country while COVID-19 continues to pose a threat to Filipinos.
On Dec. 27, the Department of Health said that it had sent a memo to President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. requesting the extension. The state of calamity expired last Dec. 31.
“I’m in favor of this. But it would be up to PBBM [President Bongbong Marcos] if the statement of calamity would need to be extended based on the recommendation of our health officials. I’m sure he will be guided by experts in whatever decision he makes,” Go said in Filipino in an ambush interview after personally aiding indigents in Montevista, Davao de Oro, on Thursday, Jan. 5.
Marcos has expressed his reservations about the proposed extension, saying that the country was “not in a state of calamity anymore.”
In addition, Marcos said the government was looking for ways to continue giving healthcare workers benefits even without the declaration.
But Go said Filipinos should continue to be cautious.
“For me, as long as there is COVID, times are dangerous. As long as there is COVID, we are in a crisis because we cannot see it [the coronavirus],” he said.
Go also expressed his concern over the emerging COVID-19 variants.
“Let’s not be overconfident,” he said. “Many of our COVID-19 measures are anchored on a declaration ng state of calamity — like our vaccination efforts, emergency hiring, and the use of the Quick Response Fund or disaster funds of LGUs,” Go said.
He also mentioned the ongoing COVID-19 surge in China,
“Let’s increase our surveillance so that COVID would not spread to us. Let’s not allow a return to the situation that everything has to shut down not that we are gradually reopening our economy,” he said.
Go then repeated his call to Filipinos to complete their COVID-19 vaccine and booster doses to ensure that they are well-protected from the virus.
On March 6, 2020, then-President Rodrigo Duterte placed the Philippines under a state of calamity for six months due to the pandemic. When the state of calamity ended in September of that year, he extended it for another year.
The state of calamity allowed the government “to continue the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination program, augment pandemic response funds, monitor and control prices of basic necessities and prime commodities, and provide basic services to the affected populations.”
Under a state of calamity, both the national government and local government are authorized to have a wider scope of actions to help Filipinos get through the pandemic.