THE PROJECTIONS and warnings made by the Octa Research on the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) situation in the country have added burden to the government as they create confusion and panic among people, an official of the Department of Health (DOH) said on Monday.
During the hearing of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the agency needs to provide further explanations or clarifications whenever the analytics group would release its Covid-19 predictions.
“It has added to our tasks. We need to make explanations every time they release reports,” Vergeire said. "It adds on the burden sa trabaho ng gobyerno na kapag may nag pi-preempt katulad noong announcement na may surge (It adds on the burden of the government if they are pre-empting information such as the announcement of the surge).”
She said the government is not only battling against the rise in the number of Covid-19 cases, but also “battling infodemic”--or correcting misinformation and disinformation surrounding the pandemic.
The House inquiry looks into the qualifications, research methodologies, partnerships, and composition of OCTA Research, an independent research group monitoring the pandemic in the country.
Committee chair Michael Aglipay said the pronouncements of OCTA can give the Filipino people either “hope or fear” with the research group’s heightened attention from the media.
“With great power comes great responsibility. There is a need to be more discerning and judicious in using research analysis of experts and scientists. Our methodologies must be effective and accurate,” he said.
Aglipay said the interpretation must be based on truthful data and not exaggerations to incite panic and fear.
“At the end of the day, science must always be objective, never subjective,” he said.
He said the committee is conducting the hearing not to “censor or abridge the right to freedom of speech”, but to demand accountability and truthfulness.
“Private research institutions and government agencies must come together and act in unison, in fighting the deadly virus. We must avoid making public commentaries that are subjective in nature--let the science and numbers speak for itself,” he said.
Deputy Speakers Bernadette Herrera, Kristine Singson-Meehan, and Sharon Garin, as well as Deputy Minority Leader Stella Luz Quimbo and Quezon City Rep. Jesus “Bong” Suntay filed on Aug. 3 House Resolution 2075, urging the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, to ascertain the credentials and background of the research group.
The lawmakers noted that OCTA research has gained media mileage for its projections and warnings about the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, with the latest one pushing for a “circuit breaker” or hard lockdown this month.
“There is a public health and public policy need to ensure the safety and security of the population during this pandemic, and that information being distributed is correct and is not irresponsibly and erroneously published,” the lawmakers said in the resolution. (Filane Mikee Cervantes)
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