Hontiveros seeks Senate inquiry into status of gov’t PPE project Commented [1]: https://newsinfo.inquirer.
net/132
9178/hontiveros-seeks-senate-inquiry-into-status-
of-govt-ppe-project
By: Christia Marie Ramos
Commented [2]: Author Credential: Multimedia Reporter
at
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Risa Hontiveros is pushing for a Senate inquiry into Inquirer
the status and progress of a government-led effort to boost local production of quality
personal protective equipment (PPE) for health workers. Commented [3]: Main idea is to boost local production of
Hontiveros sought for the inquiry through Senate Resolution No. 506, which she filed PPE for our health workers
following reports that the government had only procured 10 million of the 57.6
million PPEs being produced monthly by the Confederation of Philippine
Manufacturers of PPEs (CPMP), as part of the Bayanihan PPE Project.
She said the supposed lack of preference for local PPE manufacturers in favor of
costlier imports from countries like China “is questionable, to say the least.”
“Our COVID-19 response budget can afford to supply more frontliners with more
medical-grade equipment if we procure locally. We have the supply, we have the Commented [4]: Word meaning to create with effort.
quality, and we have the funds — bakit patuloy pa ang mass importation natin (why is Used in sentence: to create high quality medical equipment
mass importation being continued)?” Hontiveros said in a statement on Monday. Commented [5]: Argument 1: Questionable mass
“Bakit natin pipiliin ang imported PPEs na may kwestiyonableng kalidad kung kaya importation from China even though we have the supply
naman nating mag-produce ng dekalidad sa halos kaparehong presyo? Hindi praktikal
ang mag-import pa, habang padami ng padami ang health workers na nagkakasakit,”
she added.
(Why are we choosing imported PPEs with questionable quality when we can produce
quality ones at almost the same price? It is not practical to import while more and
more health workers are getting sick.)
Furthermore, the senator stressed that the government should increase protection for
medical front liners by ramping up its purchase of locally-made, quality PPE sets,
which will also help local manufacturers and businesses. Commented [6]: Argument 2: To give importance to
“Hindi kailangang maging martir ng mga health workers natin (There’s no need for medical front liners more by producing quality protective
equipments
health workers to become martyrs). Even six months into this pandemic, ensuring
adequate protection for them continues to be a problem,” she said.
“Too many doctors and nurses have died in the line of duty. We have to better
ensure that every health worker in every city or province has access to effective and
affordable PPE,” she added. Commented [7]: Purpose of the PPE Project
Earlier, Hontiveros also filed the proposed Pandemic Readiness and Protection Act of
2020, or Senate Bill No. 1796, which requires the government to give preference to Commented [8]: Proposing of a Senate Bill to boost
qualified local manufacturers for the procurement of PPEs, medicines, and other production of locally made PPEs
essential supplies during a pandemic.
“Through such a policy, we can better ensure that our health workers receive the
quality protection they deserve, and we can better protect a growing industry that can
employ and has employed thousands of Filipino workers in a time of economic
uncertainty,” she said. Commented [9]: Purpose of the proposed Senate Bill
Given the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the country, Hontiveros underscored
the need to immediately provide more PPE sets for frontliners nationwide.
This, as she pointed out that the Philippines continues to enjoy the “alarming
notoriety” of having the highest rate of infections among health workers in Southeast Commented [10]: Word meaning being famous for bad
Asia. quality. Used in sentence: Philippines was made known in
Southeast Asia for having a bad response against COVID-19
“In the face of suffering, Filipinos have always come out as heroes. But so much of
that suffering is unnecessary. Huwag nating sayangin ang kabayanihan ng ating mga Commented [11]: Main idea is to appreciate medical front
health workers,” Hontiveros said. liners more in this pandemic.
Outline:
1. Boost local production of quality personal protective equipment (PPE) for health
workers.
A. Government had only procured 10 million of the 57.6 million PPEs being
produced monthly by the Confederation of Philippine Manufacturers of PPEs
(CPMP)
a. We have the supply, we have the quality, and we have the funds
b. Costlier imports from China
c. also help local manufacturers and businesses
2. Filipinos have always come out as heroes. But so much of that suffering is
unnecessary.
A. Do not waste our health workers
a. Too many doctors and nurses have died in the line of duty
b. ensure that our health workers receive the quality protection they
deserve
c. propose Senate Bill No. 1796, to give preference to qualified local Commented [12]: Senate Bill to boost locally made PPEs
manufacturers for the procurement of essential medical supplies
during a pandemic.
