‘Whole-of-nation’ approach vs COVID-19 sought

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Bong Go has emphasized the need for a unified, whole-of-nation approach to further enhance the country’s response to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

During a virtual meeting with top government officials and representatives from the medical and business sectors on Friday, he noted the importance, experience and knowledge in fighting the pandemic as he reiterated that the government is always ready to listen to their suggestions.

Go said the government sees them as partners in the fight against the pandemic and is always open to suggestions from various subject-matter experts and sectoral leaders.

“We are here to hear your inputs and recommendations, let us contribute and continue to help each other. Both the government and the private sector must work together and do what we can to address and respond to the threats of COVID-19,” he stressed.

As chairman of the Senate committee on health, Go vowed to make sure that the medical community will have a voice in the government.

He also acknowledged the contributions of the business sector and the medical community in promoting and protecting the welfare of fellow Filipinos.

“Every single day has been a learning experience for us in government. We strive to be better each day... But even as we try, we cannot do it alone. Thus, as we move forward, we need help to successfully assess what institutional practices we need to retain or change and to make long-lasting plans not only for our recovery but also for our sustainable future,” Go said.

He urged the public to cooperate and be informed on how to protect themselves and positively contribute to the fight against COVID-19.

Go said that both the legislative and executive branches are working together to enact measures that will help uplift the lives of affected Filipinos and protect the welfare of frontliners, especially healthcare workers.

“Now that the Bayanihan Act 1 has been completed, we are now looking into Bayanihan Act 2... Now, I am pushing for stipend and additional benefits for healthcare workers to be included in the Bayanihan 2,” he said, adding that he is constantly looking for ways to help Filipinos recover from the adverse effects of the pandemic.

The senator also shared some of the measures he has pushed to enhance the country’s healthcare system and promote the welfare of healthcare workers. These include the enactment of the Malasakit Centers Act which gives convenient access to quality and affordable healthcare to all Filipinos and the Salary Standardization Law 5 that now provides for a salary increase to civilian personnel including public health workers.

Go also sponsored the passage of several laws for the upgrade of public hospitals. Seven other bills he sponsored that aim to improve local hospitals are now pending approval of the President. He has also filed several health bills including the establishment of quarantine facilities across the country, strengthening of our disease surveillance system and the creation a Medical Reserve Corps.

The lawmaker also mentioned that he is currently studying the need to establish an ICT-enabled and integrated healthcare system that would enhance telemedicine as an alternative health delivery method. Another measure he filed is the e-Governance bill that aims to mandate and institutionalize the plan for the government to transition its processes to the digital age.

Present during the meeting were officials from the Office of the Executive Secretary; Departments of Health, the Interior and Local Government, Finance, National Defense and Trade and Industry; as well as the heads of the National Task Force on COVID-19, among others.

Also present were the representatives of the Philippine Medical Association, Philippine College of Physicians, Philippine Academy of Family Physicians, Makati Medical Center, Philippine General Hospital, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Makati Business Club, Philippine Exporters Confederation, Employers Confederation of the Philippines and Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce & Industry, among others.