Vice President Leni Robredo Recorded Speech | September 28, 2020

September 29, 2020

As of September 28, 2020, 5:00 PM, Vice President Leni Robredo delivered a recorded speech on her recommendations to help address the COVID-19 situation. Below are the highlights of her speech:

• VP Leni started off her speech with the findings of the Lancet Study on COVID-19 where it looked at 91 nations and ranked them according to their effectiveness in stopping the virus. The Philippines ranked 66th.
  • 19 countries, 10 of which are in the Asia Pacific region, have been described to have successfully suppressed the virus, even without a cure or vaccine.
• Apart from the recommendations she’s made in her previous addresses and letters sent to government agencies, VP Leni offered further recommendations after continued consultations with experts.
  • With the ongoing COVID-response operations, she shared that many new insights have emerged and have been examined by policy experts to provide relevant and concrete next steps.
• Listed below are VP Leni’s recommendations:
  • Setting of clear and measurable goals through the concept of “SMART” (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-based) Goals. She explained that according to data last August, the Philippines was classified as having “moderate transmission” because for every 1 million people, there were 37.5 new cases and 0.5 new deaths every day, while also tallying one additional case for every eight COVID-19 tests.
    • Nations that fall under the “successfully suppressed” category register less than 5 new cases and 0 deaths per day for every 1 million people, and they are able to perform more than 20 tests before a new case is found. This is in addition to the need to catch up to international standards. Other specific goals can be set for densely populated cities where the risk of transmission is greater.
    • VP Leni shared that an effective way of providing certainty to the public is that if we can see the horizon, we can gather our bearings and gain a sense of where we are along our journey. We can gain some semblance of certainty.
  • Provision of additional support to our Local Government Units (LGUs).
    • VP Leni agreed that the key to contain the virus lies in the hands of the LGU. Many already have best practices (greater coordination with the medical community, use of tech-based solutions for contact tracing and mitigating the economic effects of the pandemic) and thus, should be given ample attention, empowerment, and support.
    • Under the new Bayanihan 2 law, 1.5 billion pesos was earmarked for the LGU support fund. There are 1,634 cities and municipalities; each LGU will receive only around Php 900,000, thus allocation should be strategic and must be based on data.
    • According to experts, an area is considered high-risk when there are more than 100 active cases of COVID-19 per population of 100,000. Upon examination of data from the Department of Health (DOH), there are 66 LGUs as of September 23 that can be considered high-risk, while 495 LGUs have no recorded case of community transmission. Different strategies must be employed in dealing with them.
    • As the virus spreads at the community level, more frontliners who are skilled, competent, and are valued for their contributions to society are needed to support LGUs.
  • More comprehensive assistance for small businesses.
    • Aside from loans through Bayanihan 2, grants must be extended, especially for small and struggling businesses. Mechanisms such as credit mediation services can be studied and replicated to process grants. This is to ensure that help will reach those who need it the most.
  • Help those who have been recently unemployed find jobs.
    • Government can play a huge role in this, by gathering data on what businesses need to match it with those looking for work. VP Leni shared that recently, the Office of the Vice President (OVP) launched a jobs matching platform that focuses on addressing this issue. Almost 14,000 job vacancies have already been posted on sikap.ph, with most job entries not requiring a college degree.
    • Along with sikap.ph, the OVP also launched iskaparate.com under the same BAYANIHANAPBUHAY initiative, where starting entrepreneurs can post their products to sell online. As 77 percent of Filipinos do not have bank accounts, there are also those who don’t have the knowledge and equipment to do business on existing platforms. If platforms like iskaparate.com are expanded, it can help more community-based entrepreneurs and introduce them to the digital space. VP Leni expressed the OVP’s openness as to working with the national government on this.
  • Early planning and preparation for massive deployment of a vaccine once it is available.
    • There needs to be a plan in place supported by the infrastructure and a mechanism that can be downloaded to the level of Barangay Health Units. VP Leni shared that the budget for 2021 allots 2.5 billion pesos for the vaccine. According to the DOH, the budget will only be enough for 3.8 million people, and thus the need to focus and prepare for the financial and other needs for the vaccine.
• VP Leni shared that some of her recommendations are already being implemented by the OVP which include:
  • Distribution of PPE sets made by local sewing communities
  • Bayanihan E-Skwela which produced how-to videos for teachers and parents
  • Recent teacher training sessions for online teaching and modular distance learning.
  • Community Mart, an app linking market vendors, tricycle drivers, and customers to each other. 
• VP Leni expressed that the OVP’s initiatives already have clear proofs of concept that they are ready to share for collaborations. She is confident that more policies and programs that will benefit many Filipinos can be carried, should there be more dialogues, suggestions and open discussions.
• VP Leni shared that she still believes in the good intentions of the government. However, good intentions are not enough, especially with the gravity of the current situation, which calls for a more strategic and organized action.
• VP Leni reiterated that as more Filipinos continue to get sick, more can be done. To change the trajectory of the country, we have to face the situation and be open to all ideas, suggestions, and everyone who is ready to help out.
• VP Leni emphasized that they only want to help and do not wish the government to fail. Because if the government fails, Filipinos who will suffer. She appealed that now is not the time to harp on the divide between Administration or Opposition.
• VP Leni shared that she has no doubts that the Philippines can also be successful in the fight against COVID, like its neighboring countries Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, China, Myanmar, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Korea.
  • She shared that these countries believe in data, science, and experts. They are open to knowledge and ideas and planned properly. Their governments acted quickly and in a coordinated manner. They were honest and straightforward in dealing with their citizens. They set aside politics and helped each other.
• As reiterated her faith in the Filipino people, she also stated again that the OVP is ready to engage, with no other motive than to help our fellow Filipinos amidst this crisis.
• VP Leni concluded her speech saying that Filipinos will overcome this challenge as they are compassionate towards fellow Filipinos, open to listen, and have the capacity to rise and work together.