Catholic leaders call on gov’t to look at ‘new scientific insights’ for COVID-19 response
THE CATHOLIC Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) called on the government to use more science, experience of other nations, and a wider participatory approach in its response measures for the coronavirus crisis. “Continued endless lockdown is unnecessary,” the CBCP said in a pastoral letter dated Aug. 14 and read at Sunday masses on the 16th. The Philippines, the biggest Catholic country in Asia, has one of the longest and strictest lockdowns in the world. “We call on government officials to be more open to the new scientific insights and global experiences around COVID-19, even if these may challenge one’s belief systems and preferred approaches to managing the epidemic,” the bishops said, “Let us learn from the success stories of our ASEAN neighbors with political humility and collective honesty.” They also appealed to the task force in charge of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) response, “for a more participatory approach that is open to the wisdom and experience of various professionals, scientists and physicians as well as genuine and constructive representatives of business, civil society, and local government units.” President Rodrigo R. Duterte placed the capital Metro Manila and the rest of the northern mainland Luzon under a strict lockdown in mid-March. The country currently has the highest number of cases within southeast Asia. — Gillian M. Cortez
Employers to pay for RT-PCR testing for workers in certain sectors
THE REGULAR testing for the new coronavirus of workers in certain industries will have to be paid for by employers, the government ordered over the weekend. In a joint memorandum, the Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Trade and Industry said the real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test is mandatory and should be conducted regularly in specific sectors. “The COVID-19 testing must be at no cost to the employees,” Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said in a statement on Sunday. The sectors covered are: tourism; manufacturing; transport and logistics; food and non-food retail; education; financial services; public market; construction; water supply, sewerage, and waste management; public sector; and mass media. — Gillian M. Cortez
6 PhilHealth regional officers go on leave with investigation ongoing
SIX OFFICIALS of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) have filed for a leave as investigations are ongoing on alleged systematic corruption in the government agency. Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, in a statement on Sunday, confirmed that six “regional officers” are temporarily stepping down from their post. Mr. Roque did not name the officials, but dismissed the use of the term PhilHealth “mafia” members. Concurrent probes on the agency are being conducted in Congress and by a Justice department-led task force created upon the order of President Rodrigo R. Duterte. Senators have earlier suggested that PhilHealth officials linked to the allegations should go on leave. Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra, in a viber message to reporters on Sunday, said he hopes more PhilHealth officials will go on leave. “I hope that the officials at the PhilHealth main office who have already been tagged in the ongoing congressional inquiries in aid of legislation, as well as those identified by the PACC (Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission), would likewise take a temporary leave so that Task Force PhilHealth may freely perform its mandate,” Mr. Guevarra said. — Gillian M. Cortez
