PBBM mulls pursuing G2G fertilizer deals
PBBM retains Covid Alert Level System for time being; eyes new health restrictions classification President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday agreed to retain the COVID-19 Alert Level System for time being even as he seeks to reclassify restrictions that are compatible with the current milder strains that afflict the patients.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday expressed his willingness to pursue government-togovernment (G2G) talks to address the increasing prices of fertilizers.
presyo. That’s the whole point of G2G,” he told agriculture officials during a meeting at the Bureau of Soils and Water Management Convention Hall in Quezon City.
The President asked agriculture officials to provide data on the source of and price of fertilizers, as well as the on the department’s distribution plan during the planting season.
Marcos, who concurrently heads the Department of Agriculture (DA), said the government could avail of cheaper fertilizers through the G2G deals.
The Chief Executive is looking into communicating with China, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, and Russia for the country’s procurement of fertilizers.
The chief executive decided to temporarily head DA, citing the need to urgently address the looming food crisis.
“Gusto tayong tulungan, gusto tayong lapitan, eh ‘di take advantage naman tayo, ‘di ba. Sige bigyan niyo kami ng fertilizer na medyo maganda-ganda ang
36
Marcos said the most pressing issues that need to be addressed “I’m thinking would it be in the agricultural sector useful for us if sulatan ko include increasing silang lahat… and I’ll say rice production and that we are in the market reorganizing the DA and to buy this volume of its attached agencies. fertilizer,” he said. PND Caraga Infocus • July 16-22, 2022
This developed as health authorities said that they could come up with new alert level classification by mid-August. Marcos said that the alert level could be adjusted or improved if people get their booster shots. “To avoid confusion, we will retain the alert level system for now. We are however thinking, we are studying very closely, and we’ll come to a decision very soon as to decoupling the restrictions from the alert levels,” Marcos said during a meeting with Department of Health Officer-In-Charge Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire. Vergeire said the DOH could come up with new classifications by the second week of August. At the same time, she said midAugust is a suitable period to loosen up to allay fears of the medical community and give them time to make COVID-19 cases more manageable.
The health official said the country is currently experiencing an uptick in COVID-19 cases because of the highly contagious Omicron BA.5 variant. Based on current projections, more relaxed compliance to minimum public health standards (MPHS) would result in a higher number of COVID-19 cases, Vergeire said, noting, however, that it is preventable. With the emergence of new COVID-19 variants, the virus’ immune-escaping mechanism also increased. Experts project that if eligible individuals do not take the jabs, the country will witness increased hospitalizations by September, according to Vergeire. “So that’s why we really wanted to capture all of this eligible population bago dumating
Caraga Infocus • July 16-22, 2022
‘yung time na projection na sinasabing September,” she said. The DOH is also reconstituting the member agencies of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to only those with relevant and intended functions. Pending the reconstitution, Vergeire said they will streamline IATF meetings and processes with clear directives to assist in safe reopening and will be utilizing the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) platform. The platform will replace the National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF) to integrate it with the regular processes. This will allow the IATF health expert groups to continue their work as they serve as the voice of science in the country. (PND)
37
