REPORT ON COVID 19
JUNE 24, 2020
BISMILLAHIR RAHMANIR RAHEEM
ASSALAMU ALAYKUM WA RAHMATULLAHI TAALA WA BARAKATUH
SHORTLY AFTER THE DECLARATION OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY ON MARCH 8, 2020, THE BANGSAMORO GOVERNMENT CONSTITUTED ITS BANGSAMORO INTER AGENCY TASK FORCE ON COVID 19 TO DISCUSS AND IMPLEMENT POLICIES AND PROGRAMS THAT WILL MANAGE THE SPREAD OF THE DISEASE AND PROTECT THE BANGSAMORO. IT HAS BEEN THREE MONTHS SINCE THEN AND IT IS JUST FITTING THAT TODAY’S CHIEF MINISTER HOUR WILL FOCUS ON WHAT WE HAVE DONE SO FAR AND WHAT WE INTEND TO DO AS WE CONTINUE OUR WAR AGAINST COVID 19.
MR. SPEAKER, ESTEEMED COLLEAGUES, THIS IS THE CHIEF MINISTER’S REPORT ON COVID-19.
ON MARCH 13, 2020, THE BANGSAMORO INTER-AGENCY TASK FORCE CONVENED TO DISCUSS AND FINALIZE THE BANGSAMORO ADVISORY ON COVID 19 – A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDELINE FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC, THE MINISTRIES AND OFFICES, AS WELL AS ALL THE LGUS IN THE BANGSAMORO AUTONOMOUS REGION. INITIAL SET OF POLICIES AND DIRECTIVES WERE AGREED IN THAT MEETING THAT PROVED TO BE CRUCIAL AS IT SET THE TONE FOR THE BANGSAMORO GOVERNMENT’S HUMANITARIAN AND PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY RESPONSE. THE SAID GUIDELINES ARE BEING UPDATED EVERY NOW AND THEN TO REFLECT THE IMPORTANT POLICIES AND DIRECTIVES FROM THE NATIONAL INTER-AGENCY TASK FORCE FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASE AND THE BANGSAMORO INTER-AGENCY TASK FORCE ON COVID-19.
MR. SPEAKER, OUR KEY STRATEGIES CAN BE ESSENTIALLY DIVIDED INTO SIX (6) COMPONENTS:
FIRST IS OUR SUPPORT TO FRONT LINERS THROUGH AUGMENTATION OF MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT.
OUR FRONTLINE HEALTH WARRIORS ARE AT GREAT RISK IN THIS WAR AGAINST COVID 19 AND WE ARE PROUD TO NOTE THAT THE BANGSAMORO GOVERNMENT IS ONE OF THE FIRST GOVERNMENT ENTITIES IN MINDANAO TO HAVE PROCURED AND PROVIDED IMPORTANT MEDICAL SUPPLIES, SUCH AS PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE), DISINFECTANT, FACE MASKS, MEDICINES, AND MISTING TENT, AMONG OTHERS TO OUR HEALTH AND OTHER FRONTLINE WORKERS.
ON MARCH 19, THE INITIAL SET OF MEDICAL SUPPLIES ARRIVED AT THE BANGSAMORO GOVERNMENT CENTER AND THIS WAS IMMEDIATELY TURNED OVER TO OUR REFERRAL HOSPITALS, INTEGRATED PROVINCIAL HEALTH OFFICES, AND EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTERS IN THE REGION.
TO DATE, THE BANGSAMORO GOVERNMENT HAS PROVIDED AT LEAST 44, 461, 000 PESOS WORTH OF MEDICAL SUPPLIES THAT WERE DISTRIBUTED STRATEGICALLY TO THE DIFFERENT PROVINCES OF THE REGION.
OUR FRONTLINE WORKERS, WHOM WE CONSIDER TO BE OUR EVERYDAY HEROES IN THIS WAR AGAINST COVID19 SHALL ALSO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL INCENTIVE AS PROVIDED BY LAW. THIS IS IN DUE RECOGNITION OF THEIR CRUCIAL SERVICES AND SACRIFICES TO SAVE LIVES. TO OUR FRONTLINERS, MULI, MARAMING SALAMAT SA INYO.
SECOND IN OUR KEY STRATEGIES IS TO ENHANCE THE REGION’S TESTING CAPACITY FOR COVID 19.
AS ADVANCED BY EXPERTS ON THE FIELD OF HUMANITARIAN AND PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY RESPONSE, OUR STRATEGIES AND PLANS TO ADDRESS THIS CRISIS CIRCLES AROUND THE NEED FOR FAST AND RELIABLE TESTING OF COVID 19 PATIENTS.
THIS HOWEVER PROVED TO BE A CHALLENGE, ESPECIALLY DURING THE EARLIER STAGES OF THE CRISIS IN OUR COUNTRY AS IT WAS ONLY THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR TROPICAL MEDICINE (RITM) THAT WAS ACCREDITED TO CONDUCT THE TEST. THIS WAS LATER ON EXPANDED WITH THE INCLUSION OF MORE HOSPITALS AND LABORATORIES. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IN MINDANAO EARLIER THEN, WE ONLY HAD ONE ACCREDITED LABORATORY, THE SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES MEDICAL CENTER IN DAVAO CITY.
AS SUCH, THE BANGSAMORO INTER AGENCY TASK FORCE LOOKED AT DIFFERENT OPTIONS TO FILL THIS GAP. WE CLOSELY MONITORED THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATIVE TESTING SUCH AS THE RAPID TEST KITS AND GENEXPERT MACHINES. WE ALSO CONSIDERED BUILDING A DEDICATED LABORATORY CAPABLE OF COVID 19 TESTING, BUT WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS MIGHT TAKE A WHILE AND WE DO NOT HAVE THE LUXURY OF TIME IN THIS PERIOD OF CRISIS.
THE VIABLE APPROACH THEN WAS TO UPGRADE THE EXISTING CAPACITIES OF HOSPITALS IN THE REGION.
BASED ON THE ASSESSMENT AND RECOMMENDATION OF MINISTRY OF HEALTH, THE COTABATO REGIONAL AND MEDICAL CENTER IS THE CLOSEST IN MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS AND TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES OF CONDUCTING RT-PCR FOR COVID 19. PCR IS THE GOLD STANDARD WHEN IT COMES TO TESTING COVID 19 AND IS THE ONLY METHOD USED BY DOH FOR CONFIRMATORY TESTS IN THE COUNTRY.
WITH OUR SHARED DESIRE TO HAVE AN ACCREDITED AND CAPABLE LABORATORY FOR COVID 19 PCR TEST, ON APRIL 13 WE SIGNED A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT WITH THE CRMC TO FORMALIZE THE 14 MILLION PESOS WORTH OF ASSISTANCE THAT WILL BE USED FOR THE MUCH NEEDED LABORATORY UPGRADE. ON MAY 19, CRMC WAS FINALLY GIVEN THE LICENSE TO OPERATE AND IT HAS BEEN CONDUCTING PCR TEST NOT ONLY FOR THE BANSGAMORO REGION BUT ALSO FOR REGION XII. ALHAMDULILLAH.
WE ARE CURRENTLY PROCESSING SIMILAR ASSISTANCE WORTH 15 MILLION TO THE AMAI PAKPAK MEDICAL CENTER IN MARAWI CITY IN THE HOPES THAT IT TOO WILL BE ABLE TO CONDUCT PCR TEST FOR COVID19. THIS IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT CONSIDERING THAT MAJORITY OF OUR CONFIRMED CASES ARE FROM LANAO DEL SUR. IN ADDITION, THE BIATF IS ALSO LOOKING AT IMPROVING THE LABORATORY CAPACITY OF STRATEGIC HOSPITALS IN BASILAN, SULU, AND TAWI-TAWI. IN SHAA ALLAH.
THE BANGSAMORO INTER-AGENCY TASK FORCE ON COVID 19 ALSO PROVIDED MASSIVE AND STRATEGIC RELIEF OPERATIONS.
WE ARE ALL VICTIMS OF THE VIRUS AS IT GREATLY AFFECTED OUR EVERYDAY LIVES BUT FOR SOME, THE DEGREE OF EFFECT IS MORE SEVERE AS THE THREAT OF THE VIRUS IS ALSO FELT IN THEIR LIVELIHOOD AND DAILY SURVIVAL. THE BANGSAMORO INTER-AGENCY TASK FORCE ON COVID 19 IS FULLY AWARE THAT FOR US TO BE EFFECTIVE IN CONTAINING THE DEADLY VIRUS THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY QUARANTINES, WE NEED TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE MOST AFFECTED FAMILIES TO REINFORCE OUR CALL FOR THEM TO STAY AT HOME.
AS OF TODAY, THE BANGSAMORO GOVERNMENT WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE AT LEAST 433, 161 FOOD PACKS AND RELIEF GOODS TO OUR TARGET BENEFICIARIES THAT WERE ALLOCATED ACCORDINGLY TO THE DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE BANGSAMORO REGION AND TO THE BANGSAMORO COMMUNITIES IN AREAS SUCH AS DAVAO, ZAMBOANGA, SOUTH COTABATO, AND SULTAN KUDARAT PROVINCE. THIS IS A CONTINUING ENDEAVOR TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO BENEFICIARIES THAT WE HAVE NOT REACHED YET.
ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF OUR RESPONSE IS THE 16,000 SACKS OF RICE ALLOTTED FOR THE 80 MEMBERS OF THE PARLIAMENT. THIS WAS THEN DISTRIBUTED TO OUR RESPECTIVE CONSTITUENTS PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE EXTREMELY AFFECTED BY COVID 19 SUCH AS THE INDIGENT AND POOR FAMILIES, MINIMUM AND DAILY WAGE EARNERS, AMONG OTHERS.
MR. SPEAKER, AND ESTEEMED COLLEAGUES, THROUGH OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORT IN PROVIDING BASIC GOODS TO OUR PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY AT THE PEAK OF THE CRISIS, WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE THEM FEEL THAT THE BANSGAMORO GOVERNMENT IS INDEED HERE FOR THEM.
FOURTH IN OUR KEY STRATEGIES IS OUR SUPPORT TO OUR LGUS THROUGH THE 155M AUGMENTATION FUND
TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY RESPONSE IN THE LOCAL LEVEL, WE ALLOCATED 155 MILLION PESOS WORTH OF EMERGENCY AUGMENTATION FUND TO OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS AS THEY ARE AT THE FOREFRONT IN IMPLEMENTING POLICIES AND PROGRAMS OF THE BANGSAMORO GOVERNMENT. 1 MILLION PESOS EACH WAS ALLOCATED TO THE 116 MUNICIPALITIES, 2 MILLION PER CITY, AND 5 MILLION PER PROVINCE.
THE AUGMENTATION FUND WAS USED BY OUR LGUS TO PROCURE MEDICAL SUPPLIES, AUGMENT THEIR RELIEF DISTRIBUTION, PROVIDE INCENTIVES TO THE FRONTLINE WORKERS, OR SUPPORT THE LGU’S EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER.
NEXT IN OUR KEY STRATEGIES IS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ISOLATION CENTER FOR COVID19
WHILE WE MAY HAVE FEWER CASES COMPARED TO OTHER REGIONS IN THE COUNTRY, WE ARE NOT TAKING OUR CHANCES AGAINST COVID 19. AND TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN OUR RESPONSE AND OUR CAPACITY TO MANAGE THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS, YOUR BANGSAMORO GOVERNMENT BUILT A 100-BED ISOLATION CENTER IN COTABATO SANITARIUM HOSPITAL. THIS IS ON TOP OF THE ISOLATION CENTERS PREPARED, BUILT, OR CONVERTED BY OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS.
IT IS WORTH NOTHING THAT THAT THE SAID ISOLATION CENTER, WHICH WAS BUILT FROM THE GROUND-UP IN JUST 40 DAYS, IS A PERMANENT STRUCTURE THAT CAN BE USED BY THE HOSPITAL TO CATER MORE PATIENTS POST-COVID 19. THIS WAS DONE AT THE TIME WHEN STRICT COMMUNITY QUARANTINE OR LOCKDOWN WAS IMPOSED BY DIFFERENT LGUS, MAKING THE LOGISTICS INVOLVED IN CARRYING OUT THIS PROJECT EVEN MORE DIFFICULT.
WHEN MANY, PERHAPS INCLUDING SOME OF US HERE IN THIS HALL, CAST THEIR DOUBT AS THEY ARE USED TO SEEING INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN THE REGION OFTEN DELAYED OR INCOMPLETE, THE BANGSAMORO GOVERNMENT ROSE TO THE OCCASION. WE DID NOT ONLY PROVE THEM WRONG, WE ALSO SET A STANDARD FOR WHAT A “BANGSAMORO PROJECT” SHOULD BE. KAPAG SINABING GAWA NG BANGSAMORO, DAPAT DEKALIDAD, MABILIS, AT WALANG BAHID NG KURAPSYON.
MR. SPEAKER, MEMBERS OF THIS HONORABLE BODY, AS WE SPEAK TODAY, WE ARE CURRENTLY BUILDING ANOTHER 100-BED CAPACITY ISOLATION CENTER IN DATU BLAH SINSUAT DISTRICT HOSPITAL IN UPI, MAGUINDANAO. WE WILL ALSO BUILD ISOLATION CENTERS IN DIFFERENT PROVINCES OF THE BANGSAMORO.
SIXTH, IS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SOCIAL AMELIORATION PROGRAM AND OTHER KEY INTERVENTIONS.
THE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND DEVELOPMENT HAS ALMOST COMPLETED THE DISTRIBUTION OF SOCIAL AMELIORATION PROGRAM (SAP) FOR 4PS AND NON-4PS BENEFICIARIES. 5, 000 PESOS CASH WAS GIVEN TO THE NON-4PS BENEFICIARIES WHICH INCLUDE AFFECTED INFORMAL ECONOMY WORKERS, SENIOR CITIZENS, INDIGENT INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, HOMELESS AND UNDERPRIVILEGED, AMONG OTHERS. 4PS BENEFICIARIES ON THE OTHER HAND RECEIVED 3, 650 PESOS CASH ON TOP OF THE USUAL RICE SUBSIDY WORTH 600 PESOS AND HEALTH SUBSIDY WORTH 750 PESOS. BRINGING THEIR TOTAL SUBSIDY TO AN EQUIVALENT OF 5,000 PESOS.
THE TOTAL TARGET BENEFICIARIES THAT WAS LODGED UNDER THE MSSD IS AT 506,954 HOUSEHOLDS. AS OF MAY 20, 2020, THE MINISTRY HAS DISTRIBUTED THE SAP ASSISTANCE TO 474, 174 HOUSEHOLDS OR 93.5 PERCENT OF OUR TARGET. OUR SOCIAL WORKERS ARE USING WORLD FOOD PROGRAM’S SCOPE PLATFORM FOR BENEFICIARY REGISTRATION, BENEFICIARY INFORMATION MANAGEMENT, AND DISTRIBUTION REPORTING FOR SAP. THIS IS TO ENSURE THAT THE ASSISTANCE WILL TRULY REACH THE TARGET BENEFICIARIES.
AS OF APRIL 30, 2020, THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT RELEASED A TOTAL OF 1.9 BILLION PESOS THAT CAN BE USED FOR COVID 19 RESPONSES. THE SAID AMOUNT INCLUDES THE QUICK RESPONSE FUND, REGULAR BUDGET OF PERTINENT MINISTRIES SUCH AS MOH, MSSD, AND MILG, AS WELL AS FUNDS FROM THE SPECIAL PROGRAMS OF THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF MINISTER SUCH AS AMBAG AND PROJECT TABANG. AS SUCH, THIS AMOUNT MAY ALSO BE USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES BUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE FUNDS FOR OUR COVID19 RELATED PROGRAMS.
MR. SPEAKER, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE CURRENTLY HAVE 100 CONFIRMED CASES, 44 OF WHOM HAVE RECOVERED, 4 HAVE DIED, AND 52 ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ACTIVE CASES.
THE SUDDEN SURGE OF CONFIRMED CASES IN THE REGION ARE MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE ARRIVAL OF LOCALLY STRANDED INDIVIDUALS AND RETURNING OFWS WHOM WE ARE DUTY AND MORALLY BOUND TO ACCEPT. THIS SHOULD NOT CAUSE UNNECESSARY PANIC, AS WE MAKE SURE THAT THEIR RETURN WOULD NOT LEAD TO COMMUNITY EXPOSURE. AS SUCH, UPON THEIR ARRIVAL AT OUR PORTS, WE TRANSPORT THEM DIRECTLY TO THE DIFFERENT ISOLATION FACILITIES AND WE ONLY ALLOW THEM TO FINALLY RETURN TO THEIR HOMES WHEN WE CAN ASCERTAIN THAT THEY ARE NEGATIVE FOR COVID.
MAY THESE NEW CASES IN THE REGION SERVE AS A GENTLE REMINDER TO ALL OF US THAT THOUGH WE ARE PLACED UNDER LESS RESTRICTIVE MODIFIED GENERAL COMMUNITY QUARANTINE, THE THREAT OF COVID19 IS REAL AND IT IS STILL VERY MUCH OUT THERE. IT IS THEREFORE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW THE PUBLIC HEALTH GUIDELINES SET BY YOUR INTER-AGENCY TASK FORCE. THESE GUIDELINES AND POLICIES ARE CAREFULLY CRAFTED TO STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN SAVING OUR ECONOMY AND SAVING OUR LIVES.
MR. SPEAKER, ESTEEMED COLLEAGUES, WITH OUR COOPERATION AND TEAMWORK, WE WERE ABLE TO MANAGE THE SPREAD COVID 19 IN OUR AREA. WE CAN SAFELY SAY THAT COMPARED TO OTHER REGIONS IN THE COUNTRY, WE WERE BETTER WITH OUR RESPONSE AND PROGRAMS. ON THE FIRST PLACE, OUR AUTONOMY PUTS US IN A BETTER POSITION TO RESPOND TO THE CRISIS AND PROTECT OUR PEOPLE.
WE NOW WAKE UP TO A REALITY WHERE TAKING CARE OF EACH OTHER MEANS MAINTAINING PHYSICAL DISTANCE FROM ONE ANOTHER. A REALITY WHERE SHAKING HANDS WITH OUR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES, HUGGING AND KISSING OUR LOVE ONES CAN BE HARMFUL. A REALITY THAT FORCED US TO MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS FOR THE SAKE OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND FOR THE GREATER GOOD.
AS WE MOVE TOWARDS THE NEW NORMAL, WE WILL CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS AND POLICIES TO EASE THE PAIN AND SUFFERING BROUGHT BY COVID19.
HUMANITY HAS DEFEATED PANDEMICS BEFORE AND I HAVE FAITH THAT WITH OUR COOPERATION, COMMITMENT, PATIENCE, AND UNDERSTANDING, WE TOO SHALL DEFEAT COVID 19. IN SHAA ALLAH, WE WILL AGAIN GO BACK TO THE LIFE THAT WE KNEW.
THANK YOU AND WASSALAM.
