VP Robredo: Include locally stranded individuals in planned 10 million COVID tests
Published Jul 5, 2020 2:53:06 PM
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 5) — Locally stranded individuals (LSIs) heading back to their respective provinces must be included in the government’s expanded testing program, Vice President Leni Robredo said Sunday.
Robredo said the procurement of 10 million RT-PCR test kits by the Department of Health and the Department of Budget and Management must cover the LSIs, many of whom are stranded overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
“[Ang COVID-19] number one na pwede sanang ma-contain sa Maynila pero nagii-spread sa provinces kasi hindi natin pinapa-test ‘yung pinapabiyahe natin,” Robredo said in her weekly radio show Biserbisyong Leni.
[Translation: COVID-19 can be contained in Manila but it is still spreading in the provinces because we have not been testing the ones who are allowed to travel back.]
Over 5,000 stranded individuals were scheduled to be sent back to their respective provinces this weekend under the Hatid Tulong Program. They only had to undergo rapid tests — diagnostic tools that produce quick but possibly inaccurate results.
“Sana mas tutukan na hindi na ito magi-spread. Ang pinakasolusyon talaga yung swab test eh,” Robredo said.
[Translation: I hope they focus more on how they can contain its spread. The swab test is really the best solution here.]
With the RT-PCR tests, swabs of samples taken from the nose and throat are tested to find out whether a person has the coronavirus. It is considered by health experts as the “gold standard” in confirmatory testing.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said last week that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has approved the expanded testing strategy, following the recommendation of the National Task Force (NTF) in consultation with the Department of Health.
The tests will include not only asymptomatic individuals but also frontliners and workers from various sectors.
“Sana kung meron naman palang 10 million na test kits, sana isama na, kasi nakita ko yung listahan. Na kahit mga asymptomatic okay naman,” Robredo added. “Nakita ko, economic zones, pero wala akong nakitang stranded passengers. Sana isama naman sila para di na ma-extend pa ‘yung hirap nila.”
[Translation: Since there are 10 million test kits now, I hope they finally include the stranded passengers. Even the asymptomatic ones are included. Economic zones are covered, but I did not see a proposal to include stranded passengers. I hope they could be included so as not to prolong their hardship.]
Current rules prioritize testing to those exhibiting symptoms of the disease, those with pre-existing medical conditions, senior citizens, pregnant women, and frontliners.
The NTF has yet to issue a final set of guidelines regarding the new testing policy.
Government efforts to send home LSIs were previously placed on hold in some areas last month as local governments struggle with the increase in COVID-19 cases in the provinces.
NTF COVID-19 Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez previously admitted that the return of the stranded individuals was one of the factors in the rise in cases in the provinces.
Due to the shortage of swab test kits, OFWs only needed to get a medical certificate stating that they have completed the 14-day quarantine. They were only required to undergo RT-PCR testing once they arrived in their hometowns.
