Kaya Natin Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership, in collaboration with the Philippine Alliance of Patient Organizations (PAPO) and MSD in the Philippines, launched a pioneering local government guide for managing COVID-19 and future health crises. Titled “Pandemic Playbook: A Local Chief Executive’s Guide to Handling COVID-19 and Other Future Pandemics”, the tool is designed to help local leaders navigate through the uncertainties and emerging challenges of public health emergencies.
In his opening remarks, the chairman of Kaya Natin, former Senator Paolo Benigno ‘Bam’ Aquino highlighted how Filipinos have always displayed the bayanihan spirit.
“We have seen that throughout our history, whether it is a natural disaster, political upheavals or man-made problems, now we are confronted with the pandemic, all this time we helped each other, we gathered and gave our collective strength to gain a better fighting chance against any adversity,” emphasized former Senator Bam Aquino. “This pandemic playbook aside from detailing strategies of course shows us how different sectors can come together support those in the frontlines especially our LCEs and be able closer to the end of this pandemic.”
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, MSD in the Philippines is collaborating with stakeholders across different sectors to find sustainable solutions for the ongoing pandemic and beyond. MSD awarded a project grant to Kaya Natin to develop the Pandemic Playbook.
“This pandemic has put us and everything we know to the test. It has affected our world in many ways, changing how health care and other citizen services are delivered,” said Dr. Beaver Tamesis, MSD in the Philippines President and Managing Director. “This playbook is a demonstration of “bayanihan”, all sectors coming together, lifting a portion of the burden through innovative solutions, and walking as one to help Filipinos get through the health crisis.”
Collaboration is key
To develop the Playbook, 10 LGUs shared their insights, learnings, and experiences in responding to the pandemic from the frontlines.
“It’s really a collective effort of the entire society, the entire community. And that I think is the key lesson that this pandemic has taught us. Real ‘bayanihan’,” emphasized Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno. “You cannot focus on one area alone, or your area only. You have to look at the situation of others. Whether you like it or not, we are affected. Three words have been guiding us – perseverance, courage, and generosity.”
The playbook will feature local policies and frameworks for pandemic response, perspectives from public health practitioners, and lessons learned by local chief executives who, through good governance and effective leadership, were able to mitigate the effects of the health crisis in their own communities.
“To lessen the impact of COVID-19 to the community we have set protocols, preventive measures, and health guidelines to follow,” shared Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Trenas. “As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, the Iloilo City government is committed to accelerating its response, reinforcing its health systems and prompting recovery. It’s the help that coming from everyone that made us resilient and intact.”
Anticipating the future
COVID-19 took the world by surprise. Whether first or third world countries, first class or fifth class municipalities, everyone felt the devastating effects of the pandemic. While no one wishes for another pandemic, anticipating the future through lessons learned from the COVID-19 health crisis are valuable.
“I know the book will be a source of knowledge, insight and empowerment for other local chief executives throughout the country, which is especially important in an uncertain times when people look up to their leader for guidance and direction,” said Vice President Leonora Robredo in her keynote speech.
The Pandemic Playbook is a step to innovating the public health system. It aims to share lessons learned by LGUs and other public health stakeholders during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, serve as a resource for developing new policies at the local level in preparation for COVID-19 and other public health emergencies in the future, provide a platform that can be adapted by the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in acquiring new perspectives from local government units, and complement webinars, video presentations, infographics, workshops and other media resulting from this handbook that can potentially be used in cascading its contents to local chief executives in the Philippines.
ADVT