Daily TribuneWe already submitted our memo to the president requesting the extension of the state of calamity in consideration of the fact that the CDC bill was not enacted on time, Health officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said during a media briefing
The Department of Health on Tuesday said it has already recommended the extension of the declaration of the state of calamity due to Covid-19 which is set to expire by year's end.
"We already submitted our memo to the president requesting the extension of the state of calamity in consideration of the fact that the CDC bill was not enacted on time," Health officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said during a media briefing.
Vergeire was referring to the proposed measure seeking to create the country's Center for Disease Prevention and Control which will pave the way for the establishment of the Centers for Health Statistics, Surveillance and Epidemiology, Health Evidence, and Reference Laboratories under the DoH.
She said the Health department had a meeting with the Presidential Management Staff, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, and other concerned agencies to explain its request.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had earlier extended the state of calamity until 31 December.
Vergeire expressed her concern about the possible effects on the government's Covid-19 immunization drive should the president decide to lift the state of calamity.
"We will be losing the different response strategies that we are doing right now. Because first, our Covid-19 vaccination program is anchored on the state of calamity provision of the law," she said.
"So if we lose that, we might have a hard time implementing our Covid-19 vaccination."
Likewise, the Health chief cited the problem of procuring Covid-19 vaccines which are only given an emergency use authority under the state of calamity.
"We may also experience difficulty in our indemnification and immunity from liability which is indicated in the law," she added.
Malacañang has yet to act on the DoH recommendation.
"We are just waiting for the official response of the Office of the President in terms of this memo that we have submitted to them, but we are all aware of the timeline on the 31st," Vergeire said.
The Philippines first declared a state of calamity due to Covid-19 in March 2020 through Proclamation 929 by then-President Rodrigo Duterte for only six months.
