Senator Tolentino seeks to give the DOH power to lock down infected areas during health emergencies
Sen. Tolentino seeks to give the DOH power to lock down infected areas during health emergencies
The
Senate Bill No. 1408 or the Health Emergency Lockdown Act filed
by Senator Francis “Tol” N. Tolentino, seeks to expand the power of the Department of
Health (DOH) to include the authority, in times of public health emergencies,
to lockdown infected areas, to suspend classes, to designate hospitals as a
facility for referral of persons under investigation, so as to contain
infectious diseases wherever its incidence may have occurred, and not just
limited to those that travelled through vessels and aircraft.
As of March 9, 2020, there are 110,098 reported COVID-19 coronavirus cases in 51 countries worldwide, resulting to the death of 3,831 people.
The
Philippines has not been spared from this infectious disease, having a total of
35 confirmed COVID-19 coronavirus cases, as of March 10, 2020, including 1
which resulted to death. There currently around 700 patients under observation,
of which 48 are admitted and 149 are home quarantined.
On March 7, 2020, the Department of Health confirmed the first case of local transmission in the country. In response and in anticipation of probable sustained community transmission, DOH has raised the COVID-19 Alert System to Code Red sub-level 1, which means that 100% of hospital personnel shall report for duty in the facility to render medical and other services. Furthermore, the DOH has recommended to the Office of the President the declaration of Public Health Emergency which will facilitate mobilization of resources and ease processes, including procurement of critical logistics and supplies and intensifying reporting and quarantine measures.
On
March 8, 2020, the President signed Proclamation No.
922 which declared the Philippines under the State of Public Health Emergency
which ordered ail government agencies and LCDs were enjoined to render full
assistance and cooperation and mobilize the necessary resources to undertake
critical, urgent, and appropriate response and measures in a timely manner to
curtail and eliminate the COVID-19 threat.
Sen.
Tolentino said “Just as how viruses are
incessantly changing due to genetic mutation, we, as a nation, must also adapt
and change our DNA on how we combat infectious diseases.”
He
further said that under the existing law, the DOH, through the Bureau of
Quarantine, has the regulatory capacity over incoming and outgoing vessels and
aircraft, cargoes, passengers, crews, and all personal effects to prevent the
introduction, transmission or spread of public health emergencies of
international concern.