Comments on the Report of the President to the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee by Sen. Pia Cayetano

I. Executive summary

Under Section 5 of Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act, the President is mandated to submit a weekly report on the acts performed pursuant to the law.

Thus, the President submitted an eighteen (18)-page report to the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee. It contained details on the various measures being undertaken by government agencies to aid Filipinos during the COVID-19 emergency, including those which have already been started before the passage of the law.

Based on the initial measures of the government, my main recommendations are on: (1) subsidy; (2) health; (3) supply chain; and (4) LGUs' parallel efforts.

Executive summary recommendations

1. On subsidy, it is worth recalling that during the Senate deliberations on the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, everyone understood and agreed on the necessity and urgency of downloading Php 200 billion to support around 18 million Filipino families during the Enhanced Community Quarantine. In fact, the Emergency Subsidy Program has been repeatedly pointed out as one of the main features of the law. As such, there is a need to fast track its implementation, as well as the other programs of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Agriculture (DA) and other agencies as these will provide the much needed assistance to the Filipino families.

III. Recommendations

Based on the initial measures detailed above, my main recommendations are on: (1) subsidy; (2) health; (3) supply chain; and (4) LGUs' parallel efforts.

1. Subsidy

During the Senate deliberations on the bill, everyone agreed on the necessity and urgency of downloading the Php 200 billion to around 18 million Filipino families. I cannot overemphasize the urgency of this matter.

The Emergency Subsidy Program has been repeatedly pointed out as one of the main features of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.

Understandably, 18 million families across the country is a large number. As such, there is a need to fast track its implementation as well as the other programs of the DSWD, DOLE, DA and other agencies, as these will provide the much needed assistance to the Filipino families.

The DSWD should also provide a more detailed report of the implementation of the Emergency Subsidy Program by providing the number of beneficiaries, areas covered, and amount spent. By providing these relevant data, the government can identify the people who have not yet received assistance and determine the proper allocation of funds.

2. Health

The WHO identified six key actions in addressing the current COVID-19 pandemic:

Expand, train and deploy your health care and public health workers;
Implement a system to find every suspected case at community level;
Ramp up the production, capacity and availability of testing;
Identify, adapt and equip facilities you will use to treat and isolate patients;
Develop a clear plan and process to quarantine contacts;
Refocus the whole of government on suppressing and controlling COVID-19.

The DOH should explain their plan of action and how it aligns with these recommendations. It is expected that this will be included in the next report to the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee, but also to other stakeholders, such as LGUs, health care workers, and other relevant groups.

In the past weeks FDA has approved more testing kits. It is also welcome news that along with RITM, five (5) other hospitals are also accredited to run COVID-19 tests. Having said that, DOH should continuously accredit more laboratories to facilitate prompt testing.

I. Executive summary

Executive summary recommendations

II. Highlights of the President's report (with additional information)

1. On the Emergency Subsidy Program

2. On DSWD programs which are aligned with the Emergency Subsidy Program

3. On the DOLE beneficiaries

4. On the additional compensation of health workers and other employees

5. On the testing kits

6. On health infrastructure

7. On food security and the free flow of essential goods

8. On the moratorium of loan payments by DTI

III. Recommendations

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