Senator Dick Gordon, has shot down a proposal to place regions hit by the measles outbreak under a state of calamity in the wake of 70 deaths from the deadly disease, with majority of the fatalities coming from the CALABARZON (Cavite Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) regions.
During the NDRRMC Response Cluster meeting recently, Gordon who is also chairman of the Philippine Red Cross, warned against declaring a state of calamity at present since the number of measles cases is still manageable and does not yet need such a declaration.
“There’s no need to create a national emergency here. We’re not in danger of a pandemic or an epidemic right now. It’s manageable, therefore what you need right now is a call to arms to make sure that everybody is conscious of the need to immunize and that kids must be immunized… We don’t have the numbers to justify that (declaration of a state of calamity). So let’s not go slip-shod into something that we are not ready for, that doesn’t call for it,” the seasoned legislator said.
“There’s no need to create a national emergency here. We’re not in danger of a pandemic or an epidemic right now. It’s manageable.”
Section 3 of Republic Act 10121, known as the “Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010,” defines a State of Calamity as “a condition involving mass casualty and/or major damages to property, disruption of means of livelihoods, roads and normal way of life of people in the affected areas as a result of the occurrence of natural or human-induced hazard.”
Gordon also pointed out that with the midterm elections set for May 13, some politicians could exploit the situation should a state of calamity is declared. According to Gordon, under such a situation, local government units will be given access to calamity funds.
“This is the election period, and excuse na naman yan to spend money…What is important is that we show that we’re doing something to address the problem. What is important here is a notice to all to catch up with our immunization program,” the senator said.
“What is important here is a notice to all to catch up with our immunization program.”
The Department of Health (DOH) has declared a measles outbreak in Metro Manila and subsequently declared a “red alert” outbreak in the regions of Luzon and parts of the Visayas.
Data from the DOH- Epidemiology Bureau of DOH revealed that from Jan. 1 to Feb. 9 this year, a total of 4,302 measles cases have been reported, with 70 deaths.
Regions with high reported cases are Metro Manila (1,296 cases and 18 deaths) CALABARZON (1,086 cases and 25 deaths), Central Luzon (481 cases with 3 deaths), Western Visayas (212 cases and 4 deaths) and Northern Mindanao (189 cases and 5 deaths). Eastern Visayas, MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), CALABARZON, Central Visayas and Bicol are regions that have also shown increasing trend.
