Tells Congress that remainder of Bayanihan 2 funds could still be used in case of another Covid wave in PHL
(Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte said the public should continue wearing face masks amid the continuing threat of the still present Covid-19 pandemic.
In his Talk to the People on Monday night, March 22, Duterte noted the possibility of another Covid-19 wave specially since a new coronavirus variant was found in Israel causing a spike in cases there.
The 76-year old Philippine leader said that despite the current low numbers of Covid-19 cases in the country, this is not yet the time to lift the mask mandate.
“The numbers are very low compared to the population. But you know itong mask na ano maraming nagtatanong, alam mo I am not ready to order the removal of the mask,” Duterte said.
The face shields, however, could be done away with.
Duterte said that use of face masks and face shield have “done a lot of good” in preventing “contamination from spreading.”
-Duterte raises possibility of new Covid variant reaching PHL shores-
At the same time, he also warned the public that if there is a new Covid-19 variant in Israel that is causing a spike of cases, it is possible that this would also reach Philippine shores.
The new variant is a combination of the two subvariants of Omicron – BA.1 and BA.2.
“And there are reports I said that I don’t know if it’s — subject to confirmation — na may bagong COVID found in Israel. So whether we like it or not, kung totoo ‘yan, it will reach again the shores of our country,” he said.
Duterte thus advised Congress now to touch the remainder of the Bayanihan funds as this could still be used in case of another Covid-19 wave.
So sabi ko nga ‘yung Bayanihan, nagtatanong na hindi pa naubos, sinauli na sa Treasury. Pero ganito ‘yan eh sana huwag na lang galawin ng Congress. If they want to legislate it, so be it. But huwag galawin ‘yan kasi that is in preparation for another surge of another variant,” he said.
“Nagmumutate itong monster na ito and hindi natin malaman kung ano talaga ang katapusan nito. But I guess it would be there or here for the longest time,” he explained.
(Eagle News Service)