‘Set aside politics’: Hospital association airs support to Duque amid resignation calls

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Hospital Association (PHA) on Tuesday rallied behind embattled Health Secretary Francisco Duque III amid calls for his resignation over his handling of the COVID-19 crisis.

In an online media forum hosted by the Department of Health (DOH), PHA president Jaime Almora said that within their hospital network of almost 2,000 members of both private and government hospitals, there was no clamor for any change in the DOH leadership.

“Tanggalin muna natin ang politika sa anti-COVID campaign, magtulong-tulong tayo ngayon ,” Almora said.

“The focus is to help each other, how to cooperate, and make our efforts united in this fight,” he added.

Another group of hospitals, the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PHAPi), on Monday asked President Rodrigo Duterte to replace Duque as DOH chief due to the delays in the release of the interim reimbursement mechanism, which stands as financial aid to hospitals hit by the health crisis.

PHAPi urged Duterte to tap “fresh blood” to lead the country’s fight against the viral illness.

Fourteen senators also signed a resolution last month seeking Duque’s resignation for “failure of leadership, negligence, lack of foresight, and inefficiency” in handling the COVID-19 pandemic.

Just last week, the health chief drew flak after he claimed that the Philippines was already in the second wave of COVID-19 infections.

But Duterte appeared to have rejected the calls and even consoled Duque during a meeting in Malacañang on Monday evening.

“Alam mo huwag kang masyadong touchy sa mga (Don’t be so touchy on) issues because always there will be pros and cons. Pakinggan lang natin (Just take note of these) because this is a democracy,” Duterte said in a late-night public address.

EDV