LIVE: Senate hearing on managing health emergencies

MANILA, Philippines – The Senate committee on health and demography, alongside committees on justice and human rights, local government, public works, finance, and ways and means will hold a hearing on Tuesday, May 26, on the country’s managing of health emergencies. (READ: How poor is the Philippine health system? Many hospitals not qualified to test for coronavirus)

Among the agenda are:

• S. No. 1408 – Strengthening the capacity of the Department of Health in the detection and containment of infectious diseases, including the quarantine of infected persons and lockdown of infected areas, amending R.A. No. 9271 (Quarantine Act)
• S. No. 1529 – Requiring the establishment of quarantine facilities in every region in the country
• S. No. 1533 – Amending R.A. No. 11332 (Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health of Public Health Concern Act)

The Senate hearing comes as the country continues to be under community quarantine for nearly 3 months to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, after President Duterte ordered the lockdown in Metro Manila on March 15.

This was later expanded to the entire island of Luzon. Several provinces, cities, and municipalities in Visayas and Mindanao followed suit, ordering localized lockdowns.

The community quarantine continues to challenge the healthcare system of the country, with the testing capacity of Philippine hospitals keeping up with the demand for mass testing for coronavirus.

Watch the hearing live on Tuesday, May 26, at 10 am. – Rappler.com