The assessment of preparations for the Tokyo Olympics amid emerging threats of COVID-19 situation should remain a top priority of the Philippine government, said Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go.
As chairperson of both Senate Committees on Health and on Sports, he urged health authorities and experts to regularly assess the pandemic situation amid the possible cancellation of the 2021 Summer Olympics scheduled from July 23 to August 8, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
Go issued this in the face of the surging global anxiety towards the COVID-19 Delta variant, which is reported to be more contagious.
The government, he assured, will continue to assess the situation with utmost priority for protecting the health of Filipinos.
On Saturday, June 26, protests took place in Tokyo, calling for the 2021 Olympic Games to be cancelled due to the possible COVID-19 outbreak in Japan.
Another major issue expressed by the protesters was the vaccination situation in Japan as reports claim low immunization rates.
Meanwhile, Go emphasized that the health and well-being of the athletes and all Filipinos will always be the government’s top priority.
“A lost life is a lost life forever. Importante sa akin ang buhay. Puwede naman nating ipagpaliban ‘yan kung kakailanganin,” he added.
Earlier, Go successfully appealed to the government to include in the priority list for COVID-19 vaccination the Filipino athletes and other delegates, who will be competing or participating in the upcoming Olympics and the Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, both this year.
He guaranteed that the Senate Committee on Health, in coordination with health authorities and experts, continues to monitor developments and measures against COVID-19 especially amid emerging variants.
“We will continue to monitor the situation especially the Delta variant na sinasabing four times more contagious. Dapat po maagapan na hindi po kumalat dahil talaga pong delikado itong Delta variant na ito,” said Go. “We cannot afford to risk the lives and health ng ating mga atleta, ng ating mga kapwa Pilipino.”
But while nothing is official yet regarding the cancellation of the Games, Go said that the athletes must continue to prepare and train in a safe manner in accordance with health standards.