WITH the World Health Organization (WHO)’s declaration that Covid-19 is no longer a global public health emergency, Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte said over the weekend there is all the more reason for the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to ditch its tedious eTravel registration requirement for incoming international travellers, to entice more tourists and prospective investors to come to the Philippines.

Villafuerte, National Unity Party (NUP) president, reiterated his call on the IATF to get rid of this one remaining vestige of the stringent health protocols that most governments imposed three years ago to check the spread of the lethal coronavirus, following the WHO’s May 5 declaration that the Covid-19 pandemic “no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).”

In a statement, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he agreed with the recommendation by the International Health Regulations (IHR) Emergency Committee that it is “time to transition to long-term management of the Covid-19 pandemic” amid the declining trend in coronavirus-related deaths, lower hospitalization rates and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, and the high levels of population immunity to the virus.

“With WHO declaring that the period of Covid-19 as a PHEIC is already over and that the switch to the long-term management of the coronavirus must now be the priority, there is all the more reason for the IATF to get rid of the eTravel requirement imposed on inbound travellers, as a way to further entice tourists and prospective investors to come to the Philippines as our country transitions fully to the post-pandemic ‘new normal,’” Villafuerte said.

The Camarines Sur congressman said that “junking the tedious, time-consuming eTravel registration process would further convince the international investor community that the domestic economy has completely reopened for business and entice more international tourists to come see the Philippines.”

Despite the WHO’s declaration, though, Villafuerte called on Filipinos to remain on guard against Covid-19 and to continue adhering to the minimum public health standards such as physical distancing and mask-fearing, especially in high-risk areas for the elderly, immunocompromised individuals and those with comorbidities.

Villafuerte said the lifting of the eTravel requirement is not expected to bump up Covid-19 infections to alarming levels, given that the Department of Health (DOH) and private health experts believe that despite the current spike in this virus’ positivity rate, there is no reason to panic because of the low healthcare utilization rate (HCUR), which is the more critical criterion.

He pointed out that although OCTA Research projects the weekly positivity rate—which is the percentage of those found positive for Covid-19 from all those tested for the virus at a given week—possibly rising to as high as 25%, its research fellow Fredegusto David said the good news is that he and other experts do not expect HCUR to reach a critical level and will not go up to 40% or beyond.

The DOH, which defines HCUR as the combined use of ICUs, isolation beds, and mechanical ventilators, sees healthcare utilization remaining low partly because of the mass immunization drive.

DOH Officer-in-Charge (OIC) and Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire assured lawmakers at a recent House committee on appropriations hearing that the higher Covid-19 positivity rate is expected, and is not a cause for alarm, because of the shift in testing protocols, in which those being tested for the virus are those most likely to be infected.

Moreover, she said that over 90% of those found to be infected are “mild and asymptomatic cases,” and that just 8-9% of those with Covid-19 are “classified as sever and critical.”

The more important criterion, she added, is the HCUR, which remains at low risk “because of the wall of immunity due to vaccination.”

Meanwhile, AnaKalusugan Party list Rep. Ray Reyes urged the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to intensify its efforts to enlist accredited service providers for its Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama (Konsulta) Package which gives access to primary health care services for PhilHealth members.

Reyes expressed concern over the low number of accredited service providers enrolled in the program and said the number of providers are not enough to cater to PhilHealth members who want to avail of the package.

“Kulang na kulang pa po ang mga providers para maserbisyuhan ang dami ng ating mga PhilHealth members. Sana po paigtingin pa ng Philhealth ang paghikayat sa mga providers na magpa-accredit at maging bahagi ng Konsulta Package program,” Reyes said.

He cited data from PhilHealth showing that as of March 31, 2023, only 1,931 of the required 5,014 Accredited Konsulta Providers have enrolled in the program.

“Napakahalaga po ng proyektong ito ng PhilHealth dahil sa pamamagitan nito mabibigyan natin ng serbisyo ang ating mga kababayan lalo na sa mga lugar na hindi madali ang access sa primary healthcare,” Rep. Reyes said.

Under PhilHealth Circular 2020-0022, the Konsulta Package covers individual-based health services including initial and follow-up primary care consultations, health screening and assessment, and access to selected diagnostic services and medicines.

The lawmaker said AnaKalusugan supports the program and underscored the need for government to provide opportunities for Filipinos to have free access to primary care.

“We want this initiative to succeed because it is fully in line with AnaKalusugan’s vision to make healthcare accessible to Filipinos,” he said.

Reyes, the vice chair of the House Committee on Health, had earlier filed House Bill No. 00430 which seeks to give Filipinos free annual medical checkups which includes blood sugar and cholesterol tests.

“By providing free annual check-ups, we can identify ailments at the early stages before they get worse,” he added.