Transcript of Senator Nancy Binay's interview on CNN Philippines' The Source (hosted by Pinky Webb)
24 March 2021

Pinky Webb (Q): We wanted to get your reaction on this: So, from a high of 8,000, yesterday we recorded 5,800 new cases. Ang sabi po ng iba, back to square one tayo, sabi po ni Secretary Cabral, former DOH secretary, 'We're not back to Square One, we're actually 10 steps back.' How would you describe the situation we're in right now?

Sen. Nancy Binay (SNBA): At this point Pinky, nag-a-aggree ako dun sa observation ni Sec. Cabral, former Sec. Cabral na we're not back to Square One, baka nga at this point, we're more than 10 steps behind dahil the numbers are much higher compared to last year. So ibig sabihin nun, we are worse off.

Q: How and why do you think we got here?

SNBA: Unang-una, we, every time na may policy decision na gagawin yung IATF, parang the science was not always considered. Parang umabot dun sa point na nabalewala yung science, at mas inuna yung ekonomiya. Alam ko it's very difficult balancing health and the economy but para sa akin kasi, for as long as the health problem is there, mahihirapan talaga yung ekonomiya natin makabangon. So, di ba Pinky, naalala mo, naglabas ng policy yung IATF na pwedeng magbukas yung sinehan, pwedeng magbukas yung mga arcades, tapos biglang nagulat itong mga doktor natin, na parang 'why are you doing that?' So, yung mga ganung opening up of the economy without setting the standard para tama yung pagbubukas natin.

Q: Sabi po ni Sec. Duque, Senator, ang ilang posibleng cause ng pagtaas ng mga kaso natin, una yung increased mobility dahil nga, of course kailangang buksan yung ekonomiya; yung virus mutation; and of course, yung public nagkaroon nga ng tinatawag na 'Covid fatigue'. Hindi na tayo, in general, the people hindi na nagko-comply with the minimum health protocols. In fact, yun nga daw, like not proper wearing of the face masks and the face shields, yun pong lahat ng events na yun, would you agree? Nagsama-sama ho yun.

SNBA: Well, yes. It was a combination of all those things. But kasi yung direksyon came from the national government. For example, Pinky, alam naman natin na contagious yung new variants, and alam din natin na andito na sa bansa nating itong contagious na variant, anong ginawa ng IATF? We opened up the economy and paulit-ulit nilang sinasabi na wala pang community transmission, ok pa tayo and then all of a sudden, ito na, kalat na pala sa buong Metro Manila itong bagong variant. So, from day one, when we had this Covid-19, laging nahuhuli tayo, yung approach was not pro-active. It was always, 'ok lang', and then, all of a sudden sumasabog na sa atin yung problema. So, siguro baka it's high time na let us accept and let us face that the problem is big and we have to do something about it. Kasi yun nga yung nagiging direksyon e, parang ok lang, chill-chill, and then yun pala, malala na yung sitwasyon natin.

Q: You pointed it correctly no, Senator, sabi mo nga, nung lumabas itong mga new variants, hindi pa rin masabi kung merong community transmission. So, in effect, hindi tayo, from my understanding, hindi naging pro-active ang gobyerno, naging reactive ang gobyerno. You know, when the cases started to rise, when was that, maybe a week ago, I would say, si Sec. Duque was much criticized for this on social media. I don't know if you saw this, Sen. Nancy. Umikot siya, may dala siyang meter stick at namigay nga siya ng mga face shield. And as I mentioned a while ago, it did not sit well with the public kasi that was done a week ago.

SNBA: Yun na nga e, parang, I guess, almost everyone's guilty but siguro bahagi na rin yun ng Covid fatigue. Kasi nga Pinky, makikita natin yung mga celebrities, yung mga influencers, di ba, parang everyone's going out, going to the beach. So, I think it also created yung perception na we are back to normal. But at the end of the day, that will not be our new normal anymore. We have to learn how to live with the new normal. Kumbaga, bago na yung way of life natin after one year of lockdown. It's not gonna be the same, and sa akin nga, sana dapat sana, nung one year tayong naka-lockdown, tinuruan yung ating mga kababayan ano ba yung tamang proseso dun, kumbaga, living with the virus. For example na lang Pinky, pag nag-positive ka, parang back to square one nga tayo ngayon e. Kunwari, pag nag-positive ka, parang kailangang turuan ulit kung ano yung proseso ng reporting, yung contact tracing, parang walang na set up na protocol this past year na dapat kahit nakapikit tayo, alam na natin kung ano yung dapat nating gawin.

Q: Do you think Sen. Nancy na na-setup yung protocol pero nakalimutan na natin? Or hindi talaga na-setup yung protocol? Which one would it be?

SNBA: I guess it's a combination of both. Apparently, kung hindi pa lumabas na nagka-surge ulit hindi natin malalaman na may malaki tayong problema sa contact tracing. Yung pondo would be only good until June para doon sa mga contact tracers natin. And then, up to now, we don't use technology for contact tracing. And it's been a year. So, sana dapat lahat yan nagawa natin, na-setup na. Apparently, hindi nagawa.

Q: Ano pong palagay ninyo dito sa NCR+ bubble? Palagay ninyo, makakatulong ito significantly to reduce the number of cases, at least tingnan ho natin yung susunod na dalawang linggo.

SNBA: I want to be optimistic Pinky, pero parang hindi e. Unang-una, yung policy for our public transportation. Hindi naman nila binaba yung capacities. Ako din, since day one, I've been pushing na bakit hindi natin payagan na mas maraming jeep, mas maraming bus ang pwedeng lumabas, at a lower capacity. Bakit hindi ganun yung ginawang policy? Kasi nga we need to reduce yung physical interaction at this point, physical contact at this point. And we can't do that if the capacity is more than 50 percent.

Q: While it's not a lockdown no, government obviously doesn't call it a lockdown, marami pong businesses and employees will still be affected by this NCR+ bubble. Sabihin na po natin yung mga restaurants, e karamihan ng mga restaurants dine in, al fresco na lang po sila. Yung mga gyms, of course there was a decision very recently wag na ipagpatuloy, isara po yan. Internet cafe, spas, etc. Sen. Nancy, how can government help? Kasi hirap na po yung tao at ngayon, yung mga affected sectors, muling mahihirapan. Meron pa po bang any form of cash aid, siguro, na pwedeng maibigay?

SNBA: Yun yung malaking tanong Pinky kung if there are funds. Pero at the end of the day, we have to look, we have to check dun sa budget kung alin dun ang pwede nating bawasan para mabigyan ng ayuda itong mga kababayan natin, who, for two weeks, mawawalan ng pagkakakitaan. Ibig sabihin nyan, wala silang pambili ng pagkain, wala silang panggastos for them to survive every day. I would assume na there's room sa budget na pwede munang gamitin ng DBM para mabigyan ng ayuda itong mga kababayan natin.

Q: But as senators meron ho kayong magagawa to push for this suggestion forward?

SNBA: Right now may pag-uusap na magkaroon ng Bayanihan 3 so this is something na pwedeng idagdag na parang may standby fund doon na in case magkaroon ng granular lockdown or kung anuman yung bagong term dun sa square one or lockdown e may mabibigay na ayuda dun sa ating mga kababayan na forced to not to go to work.

Q: I want to bring in no, Sen. Nancy this tweet by Liza Soberano. It garnered kasi, it got a lot of comments. Some of course supporting and there were those against. Basahin ko lang po, 'My heart bleeds for all the people who cannot afford not go out and work. They literally have to choose between dying of starvation or dying of Covid. Is our country really this poor to not be able to provide stimulus. Genuine question lang po.' Siguro yung tanong niya, marami rin ho ang nagtatanong noon.

SNBA: Alam mo Pinky, yun nga din ang ano namin, di ba we passed Bayanihan 1 and 2. Tuwing nagkakaroon kami ng committee hearing, we ask the agencies kung kamusta na yung paggastos nila doon sa pondo na binigay namin sa kanila. And talagang nagugulat kami kasi yung iba sa kanila kakabigay pa lang ng pondo so ibig sabihin nun hindi pa sya naibababa dun sa ating mga kababayan. So, isa din itong aspeto doon sa Executive department on how they can fast track the spending. I think there are funds na pwede pa nilang gamitin, meron siguro doon na nakabudget na pwede munang i-delay, or baka for the next year's budget na lang at gamitin na lang muna paano natin matutulungan itong mga kababayan natin na nawalan ng trabaho. I think the latest figure is almost four million...

Q: 4.5 (million).

SNBA: ...ang walang trabaho. I don't know kung kabilang pa doon yung at a certain point or a certain time frame mawawalan sila ng trabaho kasi di ba, ganun yung lumalabas ngayon e. Itong mga nagtatrabaho sa restaurants, for two weeks, wala silang trabaho and hopefully, after the Holy Week e makabalik na sila. But at some point, we need to help them during those two weeks for them to survive.

Q: The Health department is issuing a fresh warning against those violating the government's priority list. Doon po sa coronavirus vaccination, we're gonna ask Sen. Nancy Binay after the break. Please stay tuned. On CNN Philippines, our guest today is Sen. Nancy Binay. Sen, yung IATF meron na pong ilang senador, Sen. Imee Marcos sinabi na demolish the IATF, sabi nya, palitan yan, start from scratch. Meron din po, I think it's... Well, let's go back to last year, hindi ho ba, ilan sa inyo ay humingi na ng pag-resign ng isa sa kanila which is Secretary Duque. Do you believe it is time to abolish? Adjust? Sabi nga ni Sen. Recto hindi na change oil ang kailangan. Kailangan na ng change engine at change driver.

SNBA: Agree ako kay Sen. Recto na baka ganoon na nga ang kailangan. They had one year to fix the problem but nasan tayo ngayon? We are worse off. Baka kailangan ng major changes sa policy makers natin when it comes to COVID response.

Q: Who do you think should be changed there?

SNBA: Siguro dapat mas may boses ang nasa medical profession kasi at the end of the day this is a health problem. Ang paniwala ko kasi we should always follow the science and nakita naman natin kung ano ang composition ng IATF mukhang may kakulangan sa ganoong aspeto.

Q: One of the replies of Sec. Roque, we were doing an excellent job before the surge. Hindi naman daw kasalanan ng IATF na nag-mutate ang virus. Any reaction on that.

SNBA: Unang-una Pinky, dapat natin sabihin na we have never flattened the curve. At least sa ibang bansa like Europe nasa third wave na sila. Technically tayo we are still in the first wave with the hardest kind of lockdown. Tayo lang ata ang nag-implement na kailangan ang faceshield. Sa Asia, tayo lang ang hindi pa nagbubukas ang eskuwelahan. All over the world we are one of the 14 countries na wala pa ring schooling ang ating mga kabataan. Kumbaga, sa numero mukhang mauunahan na natin ang Indonesia pagdating sa problema sa COVID. Parang mahirap sabihin na naging excellent tayo at any given point.

Q: Majority of you senators called for the resignation of Sec. Duque? Are you still repeating that call?

SNBA: Yes. I still believe na baka Sec. Duque is not the best person to handle our COVID problem. Lalo na ngayon. Nakakalungkot at nakaka-bother na ang secretary of health natin ang ginagawa ay namimigay ng face shield. The solution is a lot bigger than distributing face shields or going out in public reminding them to wear face shields. Ang daming pwede utusan na staff na puwede gumawa ng ganoong trabaho.

Q: Let's talk about the vaccines. Ang sabi ng pangulo ang pera nasa bangko at diretso iyon sa pagbibilihan. What are your thoughts on the vaccination program?

SNBA: Unang una sa pag-procure pa lang talagang nababagalan na kami. Majority sa Senate yun ang sentiment. Nahuli tayo sa pag-procure ng vaccine at ngayon naman na may dumating na bakuna mukhang we are also not doing a good job kasi ang baba ng vaccination rate. And then I think sa news today nakakabahala, there's 7000 Astra Zeneca vaccine na mukhang hindi na magagamit dahil apparently yung third party logistics na na-hire ng DOH ay sira pala ang temperature noong refrigeration nila or whatever. So ayaw na nila gamitin dahil baka wala ng bisa itong AstraZeneca na bakuna. May shortage tapos there's 7000 vaccines na hindi na magagamit technically that is 3500 na tao na puwedeng bakunahan.

Q: Actually that's 7000 na tao na ngayon kasi ang plano na nila, everyone gets a first dose. Hindi na hihintayin ang batch for the second dose. Next batch na lang so technically 7000 pa ho iyon. What about the mayors na nagpabakuna?

SNBA: Naniniwala din naman ako kasi di ba may problema din tayo sa pagpayag ng ating mga kababayan sa pagpapabakuna. Naniniwala ako na kapag nakita nila na ang mayor nila ay nagpapabakuna ay masmaeengganyo sil na magpaturok but at the moment, the policy is for the mayors not to get the vaccine. So, for as long na ganoon ang polisiya ay sundin na lang natin. Until baguhin ang policy na payagan na ang mga mayors na magpavaccine.

Q: Alam ko po nagsabi na kayo na hanggang 2025 na lang kayo. But is there anything that would make you change your mind?

SNBA: At the moment wala. And it's not only spending more time with my children. Alam mo naman ang pinagdaanan ko from 2013 when I ran for my first term and 2016 na talagang grabe ang ginawang paninira sa pamilya ko and running for higher office means my family would go through the same bad way of campaigning and I do not want to subject them to that.

Q: Meron ho ba talaga sa coalition na iyon na hindi naging favorable sa father mo or sa inyong pamilya?

SNBA: I think the news reports would validate that na may mga kasapi sa 1Sambayan na not really for my father during the 2016 elections. Meron din doon na participated or naging bahagi din sa paninira. But sa akin tapos na iyon. Naniniwala din ako na dapat paghandaan natin ang pipiliin natin sa 2022. Parang ngayon nararamdaman natin kung gaano kahalaga kung sino ang pipiliin natin na ama ng ating bayan. Lalong lalo na ngayon sabi ko nga, kawawa ang magiging susunod na presidente. It will be very difficult. Yung paglubog at pag-angat nating lahat ay nakasalalay doon sa magiging presidente natin. Kaya napakahalaga na pumili tayo ng pangulo or vice president na magsasama para maiahon tayo sa sitwasyon natin.

Q: Dahil hindi po kayo tatakbo, for example sa 1Sambayan, kung ok naman kayo sa president at vice president nila, will that make you join that particular coalition?

SNBA: I guess. Kung ang pagsasama-sama namin would lead sa pagkapanalo ng sa tingin namin e makakatulong sa ating lahat I am ok with that. Sabi ko nga sa iyo hindi naman ako nagtatanim ng sama ng loob Pinky di ba? Ang sa akin lang, kaya hindi ako tatakbo is because I do not want my family to go through all that. Ako, kaya ko. But I don't know if my kids or mga pamangkin ko can go through the same pain. For me kung pareho kami ng napili e 100% makikipagtulungan ako sa kanila.

Q: What are your thoughts on a Sara Duterte, Rodrigo Duterte tandem?

SNBA: That has not happened yet but at the end of the day pareho naman silang puwedeng tumakbo. Yung criteria on running for president and vice president walang prohibition sa kanila. If they think na makakatulong sa ating bansa ang Duterte-Duterte, everybody is free to run.

Q: Maraming salamat po sa inyong oras and please take care.

SNBA: Thank you Pinky and ingat sa lahat.