‘Chitchat’ vs situation on the ground: Moreno slams calls to abolish IATF

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno. Image from his Facebook account

MANILA, Philippines — Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso on Tuesday opposed the calls to abolish the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), saying such calls are only coming from government officials who are engaged in chitchats and do not know the situation on the ground.

While noting that everybody is entitled to their own opinion, Moreno pointed out that abolishing the IATF in the middle of the pandemic will not help Filipinos during the ongoing health crisis.

“This does not help the situation. Maghunos-dili kayo lahat (Get to your senses). Wala naman kayo sa kalsada eh. You’re not in the ground. We are the ones implementing things. You are the ones saying things. Puro lang chatchat (You’re only engaged in chitchat),” he said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel.

“I disagree with those kinds of, if that is a true statement, I disagree with it. It won’t help any Filipino. It won’t help your viewers who are watching right now, who are suffering because they lost a family. It won’t help those patients who are suffering from COVID-19. This doesn’t help anybody,” he added.

Moreno was apparently countering the previous remarks of Senator Imee Marcos, supported by Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III calling for the dissolution of the task force for its poor response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The mayor noted that he and other Metro Manila mayors sometimes disagree with the IATF, but both parties always end up with protocols that should be implemented.

He added that abolishing the IATF would also not help mayors of the capital region.

“Ako ang payo ko, they should refrain, they can comment, but abolishing things, it does not help. Ililigaw niyo na naman ‘yung mga mayor, makikipag-usap na naman ‘yung mga mayor sa kung kani-kaninong tao, makikibagay na naman ‘yung mga mayor,” said Moreno.

(My advice is they should refrain from saying such things. They can comment, but abolishing things does not help. You will just put mayors at a loss. We will have to talk again to different other people.)

“Eh at the end of the day, sa mayor nyo rin naman ibabato ‘yung mga ginawa niyong batas. Kami rin ang magpapatupad. Now let’s sit down, kahit ano pa ang mga pulitika nila, kahit ano pa ang mga posisyon nila, let’s just sit down,” he added.

(At the end of the day, mayors will implement the laws you created. We will be the ones to implement it. Now let’s sit down. Whatever your political views or position are, let’s just sit down.)

He said that instead of engaging in a blame game, the government should just fix what is lacking in the pandemic response and provide solutions.

EDV