MANILA – Business groups have called on the government to improve the condition of the quarantine facilities in the country and the suspension of the Data Privacy Act that would help in tracing individuals who possibly contracted the coronavirus.
At the virtual media launch of the 46th Philippine Business Conference and Expo Thursday, Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) and Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) president Sergio Ortiz Luis Jr. said they have submitted a joint letter to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to temporarily suspend the Data Privacy Act amid the increasing positive cases of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the country.
Ortiz Luis said the reason why infected individuals are afraid to come out and voluntarily disclose their condition is they do not want to be quarantined in government’s isolation centers.
“The reason we are bringing that up is we don’t understand why we're spending so much on contact tracing,” he said.
“What we are saying is the only reason that they are hiding is they see the condition of the quarantine and isolation centers, which is unpleasant. They will have a feeling that they are being cursed,” he added in mixed English and Filipino.
The joint letter of Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Philippine Silkroad International Chamber of Commerce, Philexport, and ECOP urged the government to build decent and comfortable quarantine facilities in strategic locations in Metro Manila.
The business groups said this would encourage infected people to come out for isolation and treatment.
“You reverse the process rather you’re spending money looking for them,” Ortiz Luis said.
The business groups also said “Covid-19 is not a disease that we should be ashamed of”.
Privacy Commissioner Raymund Liboro said there is no scientific proof that publicly naming people infected with Covid-19 will help in decreasing the transmission of the virus.
“Respecting (a) patient’s privacy and confidentiality builds trust and foster better communication between health professionals and patients. Patients who are assured that their data and identities are secured will cooperate better and provide more accurate information, thus resulting in better health care decisions and management,” Liboro said in a text message.
He added the suspension of the Data Privacy Act to publicly identify Covid-19 positive individuals would be anti-poor. (PNA)
