WITH Congress already set to adjourn for the holidays on December 17, the Department of Health (DOH) is hoping that the law creating the Philippine Center for Disease Control (CDC) will be passed before the month-long break.
In a press briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said they are hoping that the CDC bill will be approved as it contains provisions on the proposed Public Health Emergency bill.
“We hope that the CDC bill will be passed and signed into law,” said Vergeire last Friday.
“Let us remember that within this CDC law are provisions for the conditions that are required for COVID-19 response to continue and not be cut short,” she said.
The DOH has been pushing for the approval of the Public Emergency Health bill, which seeks to allow the government to take actions normally done under a state of calamity sans the need for an official declaration.
These include purchase of vaccines, implement vaccination, activate responses for health emergencies, and provide benefits to healthcare workers.
The Public Emergency Health bill has since been merged with the CDC bill, which the House of Representatives approved on second reading last week.
Sans the law, Vergeire said the DOH may be forced to recommend to Malacañang the extension anew of the state of calamity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“If it is not passed before the year ends, we need to have talks with the Office of the President. We may ask for an extension even for just a month or up until the CDC law is passed,” Vergeire said.
The state of calamity was first declared by then President Rodrigo Duterte in March 16, 2020 after the start of the COVID-19 outbreak. President Marcos has extended the state of calamity until December 31.
