The administration of President Rodrigo Duterte is implementing several programs to fight the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said on Wednesday.

“Ang gobyerno may mga programa ng pagtulong (The government has various programs to help [Filipinos amid the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic),” Panelo said in his commentary show “Counterpoint”.

Panelo issued the statement, as he expressed dismay that the opposition, led by Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo, instead is busy criticizing the Duterte government without proposing viable options, over its supposed failure to address the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Marami kasing reklamo na wala raw ginagawa. Parang sila lang ang may ginagawa. Kagaya ng kaibigan nating si VP Leni. Hindi raw nagbibigay ng kooperasyon ang gobyerno (They have so many complaints about the government’s supposed inaction. They, including VP Leni, think they are the only ones who are making an effort. They are claiming the government is not cooperating),” he said.

Last month, Robredo said the government must admit the lapses in its pandemic response efforts if it wants to effectively address the health crisis.

Duterte on May 13 slammed the members of the opposition for raising “nonsense” issues instead of helping the government in its ongoing fight against Covid-19.

Work on your own

Panelo told Robredo to work on her own rather than criticize the government in its way of handling the pandemic.

“Puwede mo namang gawin iyan on your own kasi ang gobyerno, meron na silang programa (You can do it on your own because the government has its own programs [against Covid-19]),” he said.

Panelo gave the advice, as he lectured Robredo that her office’s pandemic response is different from the programs being implemented by the government to fight Covid-19.

“Kaibigang Leni, kapatid, mahal na kaibigan, alam mo, kasi nga ganito ‘yun, yung ginagawa mo bilang personal na pagtulong mo, iba yun doon sa programa ng gobyerno (Leni, you know, your way of helping others is personal. That’s different from the government’s program),” he said.

With the discovery of new Covid-19 variants that are more contagious, Duterte has repeatedly assured the public that the government is exhausting all efforts to stop the further transmission of the coronavirus in the country.

The Philippines on Wednesday reported 4,700 new Covid-19 infections, bringing the total case count to 1,159,071.

There are 49,951 active Covid-19 cases, 1,089,613 recoveries, and 19,507 deaths. (PNA)