Lack of healthcare facilities and workers are preventing some provinces including Bohol from being categorized under the more relaxed Alert Level 1, said vice-presidential candidate Dr. Willy Ong.
Ong, in an interview over 102.3 Kiss FM during his visit to Bohol on Wednesday, said that healthcare facilities in provinces tend to easily be overwhelmed if the number of COVID-19 cases surges.
“Bakit Level 2 ang mga probinsya? Simple lang, wala kasing magandang ospital, kulang ang health workers sa probinsya, hindi maka open. Oras lang siguro na magkaroon ng 50 to 100 COVID case, mapupuno,” said Ong.
“Pero kung maganda na ang healthcare sa probinsya natin, pwede na mag-Level 1 pwede na makisabay, that’s the only reason kaya hindi tayo makabukas,” he added.
Bohol has one level three health facility, the Governor Celestino Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital which has a 154 bed capacity for COVID-19 patients.
There are also four level two hospitals which have a combined capacity of 94 beds for COVID-19 patients.
Bohol, despite having less than 50 active COVID-19 cases in the past month, was still placed under Alert Level 2 from March 16 to March 31.
Meanwhile, the neighboring Cebu City and Siquijor province have both been categorized under Alert Level 1 during the same period. (AD)