PRIVILEGE SPEECH OF SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS

Mr. President, fellow Senators, I rise on a point of personal and collective privilege.

Kahapon po ay pumalo na ng 100,000 ang positive cases ng COVID-19 sa Pilipinas. Our health care system is overwhelmed, our health care workers are beseeching government for a return to Enhanced Community Quarantine. Oo, beseeching, hindi po sila nagrerebolusyon. Late last night, the President declared Metro Manila, Bulacan, Laguna, Cavite and Rizal to be under Modified ECQ again starting August 4.

One hundred Thousand cases. These numbers are inexcusable, but they do not even capture the true cost of the tragedy before us.

Gusto ko pong ipakilala sa inyo si Kris, nakatira sa Albay kasama ng kanyang asawang nagsasaka at maliliit na anak. Lumuwas siya sa Maynila para kumustahin ang amang may-sakit noong Pebrero. Uuwi na sana siya ng Marso ngunit inabutan na niya ng lockdown kung kaya napilitan siyang manatili dito, sa isang community sa may Culiat, Quezon City. Nung bandang April, sinamahan niya ang kapatid niya sa ospital dahil hirap itong huminga at masama ang pakiramdam. Araw lang din ang pagitan noong nakuha na din niya ang results na positive na din siya. Naquarantine siya sa Hope 2 ng ilang linggo, at nakaalis pagkatapos mag negative. Sinubukan niya maghanap ng trabaho dito, o anuman mang mapapasukan, para makalikom ng pera pambalik ng Albay ngunit hindi ito naging madali. Two weeks ago, nagkaroon ng mild heart attack si Kris.

Eto naman si Arnold, isang mananahi sa pabrika ng sports apparel sa Rosario, Cavite, at limang buwan nang naka forced leave at walang sweldo. Tatlong buwan na siyang hindi nakakabayad sa hinuhulugan niyang bahay sa Cavite. Dumidiskarte siya ngayon sa pagtanggap ng patahi at pagbenta ng facemask na ginawa mula sa makina na binili galing sa ayuda. Wala pang sinasabi sa kanila ang kumpanya kung hanggang kailan siya floating.

Pagsubok para kay Nanay Jo Anne Jimenez ng Baybayin, Los Banos, kung paano bibili ng laptop na gagamitin sa pag-aaral ng kanyang tatlong anak. Tatlo ang anak niya - Grade 7, Grade 2 at Kinder at kailangan ng tig-isang computer dahil may schedule pa din ng online session kahit modular learning ang pinili. Nahinto sa pag-oonline selling si Jo Ann dahil hindi makaluwas para makakuha ng paninda. Matumal naman ang nagpapagawa at nagpaparepair sa mister na electrician dahil na din sa quarantine.

Gusto ko din pong pakilala si Mark, nagtatrabaho sa isang POGO company. Sumulat si Mark sa aming opisina para ikwento na tinanggal sila na mga Pilipinong empleyado mula sa kanilang trabaho sa pamamagitan ng "forced resignation". Halos ang mga natira daw ay mga dayuhan, karamihan Chinese. Kung hindi daw sila pumirma ng resignation, di nila makukuha ang sahod na di pa nabibigay. Hanggang ngayon walang trabaho si Mark, at hindi din alam saan mag-aapply.

Ang kwento ni Kris, and kwento ni Arnold, ang kwento ni Jo-ann, ang kwento ni Mark, ay ang totoong State of the Nation. Problemang hindi maaring tingnan ng paisa-isa o piecemeal, kundi problemang magkaka-ugnay. Sala-salabat.

Ang kwento nila at ang madami pang kwento ng ordinaryong Pilipino ang dahilan kung bakit, mawalang galang, pero hindi po nagkatotoo ang we heal as one.

We cannot heal as one pag may napag-iiwanan. We cannot heal as one pag may nakakalimutan. At higit sa lahat, we cannot heal as one pag may ilang gahaman.

Dahil sa pagkahaba-haba ng SONA ng ating pangulo, hindi ko nakuha ang sagot sa pinakamahalagang tanong: paano matutulungan ang ordinaryong Pilipino hirap na hirap na dahil sa pandemyang ito? How do we support the least and the last among us? How do we ensure that the near-poor do not fall into the cracks and join the ranks of the poor? Instead of a clear plan on how this country can move forward amidst this unprecedented health crisis, what we heard was a diatribe against the "oligarchy", a swipe against an incumbent Senator, a sidebar story about how he begged for vaccines from China, a long account of the War on Drugs and why it is important, and a call to reinstitute the death penalty.

Let's begin with health.

DOH Spokesperson Dr. Rosemary Vergeire said that she hoped the President would lay out plans to address COVID-19, "mga kailangan pa natin gawin." Pero ano ang nadinig natin sa pangulo? Gamitin ang gasoline pang disinfect ng mask.

Sa aking mga pag-uusap with experts in the field of public health and epidemiology, I have crafted my own road map, a set of propositions that I offer for deliberation and consideration, as well as to guide me in my legislative work. Anim po na punto ang mahalaga at iisa-isahin ko:

1. Preemptive and preventive response - sakop dito ang kahandaan ng mga epidemiological and surveillance units sa mga LGU, ang full implementation ng RA 11332 o yung Mandatory Notification of Notifiable Diseases Act lalo na hinggil sa operationalization ng mga epidemiology and surveillance unit (ESU), at ang pag roll out ng collaborative preparedness and mitigation plans in all levels of government, especially in areas with no demonstrated capacity to respond to COVID-19.

2. Flattening the curve - we need mass testing without sacrificing the quality of the tests. Ang ibig sabihin ng mass testing ay acquisition, distribution, and utilization of available and acceptable testing kits to improve screening, detection, assessment and management of presumptive COVID-19 cases - including the tapping of production capacities of local biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. To complement detection, mas mabilis na contact tracing din ang kailangan, lalo na sa high risk and densely populated communities and industries,

3. Raising the line - we have to strengthen the capacity of our health systems and infrastructure, kasama ang pagdesignate ng mga dedicated COVID-19 hospitals for the critically-ill, activating the one hospital command center for better coordination among health facilities, incentivizing private sector participation in providing health care infrastructure. We also have to complement dedicated COVID-19 hospitals with alternate points-of-care by equiping quarantine megacenters so they can become mega-treatment centers, expanding service contracting of hotels as isolation and quarantine centers, at siyempre, kasama ang investment in community-based health responders. We need to ensure that minimum health capacity standards are also present at regional/provincial levels, to anticipate the possible surge of cases in those areas. PINAKAMAHALAGA, WE NEED TO PROTECT OUR HEALTH CARE WORKERS. SIla ang ating unang sandata ngayon.

4. Protecting the vulnerable - we should ensure special protections for vulnerable populations, such as the elderly; effective cash transfer programs to help the poor with basic provisions so they can avoid perilous activities; COVID testing and risk allowances for workers based on proximity to COVID risk.

5. Leveraging UHC for COVID response - The pandemic is the litmus test for the UHC. Thus, we need to use mechanisms within the UHC law as part of the COVID-19 strategy such as fast-tracking the process for the registration and designation of licensed primary care providers for every Filipino, and constituting the Health Promotion Board to carry out a health promotion strategy against COVID.

6. Holding national and local leaders and health authorities accountable - Nobody is a sacred cow. Now more than ever, kailangan natin tiyakin na ang liderato ng DOH, na ang mga LGU, ay tapat sa kanilang tungkulin bilang mga lingkod bayan. Spending has to be tracked and participatory mechanisms such as the citizens budget tracker should be harnessed. Sabi nga ng World Bank, panahon ng pandemya, mas madaling mangurakot ng pera. Kung may ebidensya ng overpricing, kung may ebidensya ng pagsasamantala, kailangan panagutin. Likewise, incompetence should also not be tolerated. The people need confidence in its leaders to shepherd them through uncertain times. They do not need a Philhealth scandal. They do not need inept DOH leadership. They do not the highest officials of the land claiming to be inutile in the middle of a pandemic.

Dako naman tayo sa ekonomiya.

Gaya ng usapin ng kalusugan, wala din tayong bagong nadinig mula sa Pangulo kung paano iibsan ang krisis pang-ekonomiyang bunsod ng COVID. Imbes na problemahin ang nangangalam na sikmura ng mga kababayan nating nawalan ng trabaho, tinawag ang mga mahihirap na "pasaway". Imbes na tulungan ang mga maliliit na negosyante or micro and small entrepreneurs, aba papatawan pa daw ng tax ang online sellers.

We need a plan. And I have a four-point plan for the economy that I fully intend to translate, or have translated, to legislative action.

1. Workplace safety o balik trabahong ligtas

The workers should be front and center of the effort to revive the economy. Buhay nila ang nakataya so their voices need to be heard and represented when decisions affecting them are made. Anuman ang makakabuti sa lagay ng mga manggagawa ay makakabuti sa ekonomiya.

To this end, I have filed the Balik Trabahong Ligtas bill to reduce the financial risk for workers who must be hospitalized or must go on quarantine.

We also need to encourage Work from Home arrangements, and we do this by improving our connectivity. Expanding the scope for working from home might be one of the most critical, yet also practical ways, of controlling infection even as the economy opens. Telemedicine should also be supported. Ako po ay naghahanda ng panukala para maging mas accessible ang teledicine sa lahat.

2. Disaster relief and social amelioration

Masakit man sa bulsa, social amelioration is an important aspect of disaster relief and an essential component of reviving the economy. According to computations of economists, the IATF owes 21.8 billion pesos in social amelioration funds to around 1.35 million households in NCR, Region III, and Region IV-A. Around 75% of Filipinos should be receiving the SAP but in these areas - areas hardest hit by the pandemic - only around 50% have received the cash transfer. Batay din sa mga report namin, among those who did not receive Social Amelioration funds are lower middle class self-employed solo parents who were turned away by DSWD and would also not qualify in the DOF's so-called wage subsidy program. A second highly visible segment of workers ignored by government are the drivers of 60,000 traditional jeepneys, although a commitment has been made to prioritize them in a 5 billion augmentation of the SAP funds.

Pero hindi lang kawalan ng hanapbuhay ang problema - ang mga empleyado na nawalan ng trabaho ay hindi na nakakapagbayad ng premium contributions sa SSS at Philhealth. This will disqualify them from access to member benefits, including hospitalization financing. Kaya ang aking panukala sa budget season: tiyakin na may pangsalo ang pamahalaan sa milyong milyong nawalan ng trabaho - kasama na ang 11,000 ng ABS-CBN - who will be needing Philhealth subsidy, now more than ever.

3. Economic repair

The immediate necessity is at the moment to address this pandemic-fuelled economic hemorrhage is to try to save pre-COVID jobs in firms badly damaged by the lockdown, and to provide immediate assistance to micro and small enterprises. I am in the process of consulting with micro and small enterprises to get a better sense of their needs during these critical times.

Sa aking mga pag-uusap sa ilan sa kanila ang malinaw na lumalabas ay hindi dapat sa maliliit at naghihikahos na negosyante nanggagaling ang pondo na kailangan ng gobyerno para makabangon sa krisis na ito. New taxes should not be levied on online sellers. We need to provide financing to help micro enterprises "keep the lights on" and not bog them down with bureaucratic registration requirements.

4. Economic recovery

Wala pa tayo sa labas ng madilim na tunnel, pero kailangan na natin pagisipan ang pagbangon. The President's plan is hinged on a vaccine, but even if a vaccine comes, the economic rubble that the virus has left in its wake needs a clear action plan.

New drivers of growth can be in the areas of ICT and digital transformation for education, working at home, telemedicine, logistics and public services; agriculture and good manufacturing; health; urban-rural transport networks to generate interest of investors anxious to pivot towards opportunities outside Metro Manila.

The balik probinsya program should create the conditions, not just the infrastructure, that will entice entrepreneurs and owners of capital to expand operations outside of the cities so that rural supplies can match urban demand.

Mr. President, this roadmap is not mine alone. It is the product of consultations, not only of technocrats and experts, but of people on the ground - people who tell us stories of their hardships, people who have lost jobs, homes and loved ones in this pandemic.

Batay sa Road map na ito, naisampa ko na ang mga sumusunod na panukalang batas: Senate Bill 1436 o Mandatory Protection of Health Workers, Frontliners and Patients Act na naglalayong proteksyunan laban sa diskriminasyon ang mga nasa front and center ng pandemyang ito, SBN 1441 o ang Balik Trabahong Ligtas Act, na tinataguyod ang Safety At Work para sa mga empleyadong nangangailangang lumabas ng bahay. Naghain din ako ng resolution, Senate Resolution 370 na nanawagan para automatic na kasama sa SAP ang mga senior citizens, at panukalang batas na bigyan ng universal disability health grant ang lahat ng PWDs o Senate Bill 1681.

I also intend to file, within the next month, the following bills:

- granting additional financial support for barangay health workers during this pandemic pambili ng mga PPE, pang-COVID test, at pandagdag na hazard allowance

- providing special economic subsidy for COVID positive patients and their families to offset the loss of livelihood while under quarantine

- providing economic support for cooperatives

- addressing the gender-specific impacts of COVID, particularly on women, girls and members of the LGBTQI community

- And lastly, crafting a comprehensive package of measures for the support and protection of micro and small enterprises.

Ngunit hindi po natin maibabangon ang ating sarili mula sa kinasasadlakan natin kung hindi natin papapanagutin ang mga nakinabang at nagsamantala sa krisis na ito. Ako po ay nakikiisa sa aking mga kasamang Senador sa pagimbestiga sa matitinding alegasyon ng corruption sa Philhealth, at ako din ay naghain ng resolution para hilingin sa COA sa lalong madaling panahon ang pag-audit ng lahat ng COVID spending, borrowings at donation BAGO TAYO MAGSIMULA NG BUDGET DELIBERATIONS.

We need solutions that target the needs of the least and the last of us. WE NEED A LOCKDOWN THAT IS NOT A SOLUTION ON ITS OWN, BUT AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM A CHANCE TO RECOVER. Kasama dapat sa pagbabalik ng MECQ ang mas agresibong testing at contact tracing, pagpapalakas ng community based care at hospital capacity and efficiency, ayuda para sa bulnerable, at kaligtasan sa transportasyon at trabaho. Hindi na bago ang mga panawagang ito. These were our calls since Day 1 of the lockdown and there is no way around it. No lockdowns can work if we do not present, adopt and implement a clearer health strategy - one that is not guilty of the criminal negligence of merely relying on the arrival of a vaccine.

Malinaw na pumalpak ang gobyerno sa nakaraang lockdown. Huwag natin hayaan masayang ulit ang dalawang linggong pagbabalik MECQ. Kaya ng Pilipino magtiis, dapat kaya ng pamahalaan mamahala.

Utang natin kay Kris, kay Arnold, kay Joan at kay Mark ang isang magaling, masinop at mapagkalingang gobyerno sa lahat ng pagkakataon.

Maraming Salamat po!

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