Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque (Screengrab from RTVM)
MANILA – Malacañang on Tuesday denied that the Philippines had missed the opportunity to procure around 200 intensive care unit (ICU) beds from an Austrian company.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III is currently in talks with an Austrian firm for the purchase of 200 ICU beds, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a virtual presser.
“At patuloy po ang pag-uusap sa pamumuno po ni Secretary Duque para dito sa additional 200 ICU beds. And the same component po ng Austrian company is involved (The negotiations for the additional 200 ICU beds, led by Secretary Duque, continue. And the same component of the Austrian company is involved),” Roque said.
Roque issued the clarification after local newspaper, the Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) reported that the Philippines had failed to acquire 200 ICU beds from an Austrian company.
No shouting match
According to the PDI report, the missed chance triggered a “shouting session” in a recent emergency Cabinet meeting and prompted some Cabinet members to dress down Duque.
Roque denied that there was a shouting match involving Duque and other Cabinet officials.
“Wala pong sigawan na nangyari. Hindi po nangyayari ‘yung ganun (There’s no shouting match. That never happened),” he said.
Roque clarified that the Philippine government did not accept the Austrian company’s previous offer to have 15 additional ICU beds.
“Hindi siya na-consider dahil it’s 200 bed hospital na 15 lang ang ICU (It was not considered because the offer was 200 hospital beds, including 15 ICU beds only),” he said.
Roque, nevertheless, said the Austrian firm is expected to submit its new proposal within the week.
The Austrian company, he added, is already done identifying the hospitals that would receive additional ICU beds for people infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Challenge in declaring new quarantine status
On April 22, Roque said the government intends to raise the number of ICU beds for Covid-19 patients with severe systems to further ease the community quarantine status in the country in May.
He said the government seeks to have 200 more ICU beds, on top of the 176 beds promised by hospitals in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal.
Roque, in his latest online press briefing, admitted that it is “very difficult” to decide when it comes to declaring new quarantine classification next month.
He, however, said quarantine rules could be relaxed, if there is an assurance that the country has enough ICU beds for Covid-19 patients.
“Napakahirap po talaga ng desisyon pero meron naman pong pamamaraan lalung-lalo na kung ma-assure natin na meron tayong sapat na ICU beds na puwedeng mapuntahan ng ating mga mamamayan na posibleng magkasakit ng kritikal o seryoso (It’s really a very difficult decision but there is a way [to ease quarantine status] if we have enough ICU beds that can be used by people infected with virus and have critical or serious symptoms),” Roque said. (PNA)
