Charles Teves
President Rodrigo Duterte’s fifth State of the Nation Address was highly anticipated and as expected, highly criticized.
One of the problems the SONA failed addressed was the COVID-19 crisis and the plans related to it. Confirmed cases surge as the country recently hit the 80,000 mark. Testing capacity has improved but not many see it as anything impressive since getting tested is a tedious task and not a lot have access to it, at least in the Philippines.
Netizen Sascha Garcia, who just became a doctor last year, tweeted that the government still doesn’t care about the frontliners.
The people who attended the SONA went through necessary testing prior to the event, but frontliners on the other hand can’t even get tested.
“Buti pa ang mga pupunta sa SONA, may mandatory RT-PCR. Kaming mga humaharap sa pandemya, pahirapan pa. Taena nyo,” he said.
Buti pa ang mga pupunta sa SONA, may mandatory RT-PCR. KAming mga humaharap sa pandemya, pahirapan pa. Taena nyo.
— Sascha Garcia, MD (@itsJayEMD) July 26, 2020
His tweet went viral and he explained further what it meant. Garcia pointed out that health workers are still dying and healthcare facilities are still getting overwhelmed.
“Cases are going higher and higher. Hospital facilities are not adequate to cater to these patients. Still, healthcare workers are getting sick, or worst, dying. So please, doble ingat. Nasa paligid pa ang virus. Wag maging tango,” Garcia added.
So ayun nag-boom ang tweet ko na ito.
Cases are going higher and higher.
Hospital facilities are not adequate to cater these patients.
Still, healthcare workers are getting sick, or worst, dying.So please, doble ingat. Nasa paligid pa ang virus. Wag maging tanga. https://t.co/hv65nR4rXL
— Sascha Garcia, MD (@itsJayEMD) July 26, 2020
Patients who are suspected to have COVID-19 cannot get tested right away because government officials are prioritized.
This is not only me, for us frontliners. This is for our patients, na nadedelay ang swab dahil unuuna ang kanila. https://t.co/hv65nQMQzb
— Sascha Garcia, MD (@itsJayEMD) July 27, 2020
Everyone who attended the SONA was tested before entering. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque earlier said that health screening, checking of body temperature, disinfection, and submission of health declaration forms will be conducted before the SONA starts.
Those who have temperatures of 37.5 degrees or higher will be denied entry and be brought to quarantine tents.
