E. Visayas solons seek review of Hatid Probinsya program

MANILA, Philippines — As cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) rise in their region, at least 12  lawmakers from Eastern Visayas  are seeking the review of the Hatid Probinsya Program and are appealing the government to ramp up funding for projects related to pandemic response in their area.

Citing official records, the lawmakers said that the “rapid increase” in the number of COVID-19 cases was observed after the implementation of the Hatid Probinsya Program.

They said that the region has been free of COVID-19 for the first two months of the outbreak until the first case was recorded in March in Northern Samar.

The case involved a patient who arrived in Catarman on March 4 after residing in San Juan in Metro Manila for two months.

“Most of those who tested positive were returning residents, who were previously locally stranded in Metro Manila for days. Some were overseas Filipino workers who also got stranded in Metro Manila after returning home from work abroad,” the lawmakers said.

The lawmakers said that while they welcome their constituents, the national government also has the duty to ensure that they are free from COVID-19.

“We welcome our returning kabugtu-an and kaigsoonan (family) to Samar and Leyte with open arms. We share their grief and agony in getting stranded away from their loved ones in these difficult times,” the lawmakers said.

“However, we firmly believe that it is the duty of the government to ensure that these constituents of ours are free from coronavirus infection and other diseases before they are allowed to rejoin their family members. Their freedom from COVID-19 infection means that their loved ones are free from harm, too,” they added.

Thus, the lawmakers said that the Hatid Probinsya Program should be reviewed including the health protocols implemented for locally stranded individuals bound for return to the provinces.

“Specifically, we strongly urge the responsible national government agencies to immediately require, strictly monitor, and continually evaluate responsive health assessment procedures to effectively mitigate the risk and avoid the further spread of COVID-19 to the provinces,” the lawmakers said.

This also includes ensuring “that all returning residents are cleared of any symptoms and have been tested negative for COVID-19 using the real-time reverse transcription polymerase reaction test before they re allowed to travel to their home provinces,” they added.

Ramp up budget

The lawmakers likewise appealed to the national government that funding be increased for programs related to pandemic response in Eastern Visayas.

These are as follows:

• Ensure availability of supplies such as PPE (500,000 units for the next three months) and essential kits

• Allocate funding complement for municipal quarantine centers

• Reinforce contact tracing capability in the region

• Set up a regional processing center for returning residents in Tacloban and alternate processing centers in other secondary airports/seaports

• Intensify telehealth medicine and use of digital platform for health services

• Strengthen the complementation of DOH, LGU and RHU roles and duties

• Widen and intensify IEC campaign on COVID-19 prevention and control

• Guarantee the protection and safety of medical frontline personnel

• Prepare an Integrated COVID-19 Regional Response Plan

• Facilitate the release of funds allocated under the 2020 General Appropriations Act for healthcare-related and other essential infrastructure project

“We also call on the Department of Health to extend support to, and beef up the capabilities of, its regional office in Eastern Visayas in order to contain the spread of COVID-19 disease in Leyte and Samar provinces,” the lawmakers said.

Those who signed the joint statement include House Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin G. Romualdez; Tingog party-list Rep. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez; Northern Samar 1st District Rep. Paul Ruiz Daza; Northern Samar 2nd District Rep. Jose L. Ong Jr.; Leyte 3rd District Rep. Vicente S.E. Veloso III; Western Samar 1st District Rep. Edgar Mary S. Sarmiento; Leyte 4th District Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez; Western Samar 2nd District Rep. Sharee Ann T. Tan; Leyte 5th District Rep. Carl Nicolas C. Cari; Eastern Samar Lone District Rep. Maria Fe R. Abunda; Southern Leyte Lone District Rep. Roger G. Mercado; and Biliran Lone District Rep. Gerardo J. Espina Jr.

EDV