(Eagle News)–Several health associations backed Health Secretary Francisco Duque III amid the call of 14 senators for him to resign.
In a joint statement, the Philippine Medical Association, the Philippine Hospital Association, the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines and the Philippine College of Hospital Administrators said they “put so much faith and give a ten-out-of-ten score in the manner that the Department of Health, led by Secretary Francisco Duque III, is handling the medical side of the COVID-19 crisis given what is available and its limited resources at the moment.”
According to the groups, the “decision of the Secretary is the sum of all efforts of the private and government experts,” noting that the DOH has its own group of specialists, and that their members were closely monitoring developments.
“We don’t change horses in the middle of the stream and instead we should hold on to one another’s hand so tight so that, faced with this viral storm, we cross the stream together,” the groups added.
The statement was signed by the presidents of each medical organization: PMA’s Jose Santiago Jr., PHA’s Jaime Almora, PHAPi’s Rustico Jimenez and PCHA’s Hubert Lapuz.
In calling for the resignation of Duque in P.S. Resolution No. 362, the 14 senators– Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senators Sonny Angara, Nancy Binay, Pia Cayetano, Grace Poe, Joel Villanueva, Francis Tolentino, Bong Revilla, Imee Marcos, Lito Lapid, Ping Lacson and Manny Pacquiao—cited what they said was his failure of leadership amid the COVID-19 crisis.
But President Rodrigo Duterte said Duque would “stay put,” according to Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.
