Palace assures funds for COVID-19 diagnostic kits
Malacanang on Sunday assured the public that the Office of the President is providing the needed funds of the concerned agencies in the production of the diagnostic kits for the 2019 coronavirus disease or COVID-19.
“We wish to assure our countrymen that the Office of the President is providing the needed funds of the Department of Health, Department of Science and Technology and University of the Philippines Manila’s National Institutes of Health in the production of the diagnostic kits for the COVID 19 tests,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement.
Panelo said the Manila Healthtek is prepared to do the production of bigger quantities required to respond to the present crisis, in addition to its present inventory once the imported raw materials arrive.
According to him, the DOST categorically states that it is not in any way involved in the call by some groups for donations regarding access to test kits.
“Sufficient funds are available,” Panelo said.
“For those in the private sector who wish to donate funds, we suggest they coordinate either with the DOH, PGH (Philippine General Hospital), DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) or the LGUs (local government units) to ensure its rightful receipt and best use,” he added.
Meanwhile, in a radio interview over Radyo Inquirer, Panelo said the Department of Social Welfare and Development is prepared in case there will be a food shortage in Metro Manila due to the ongoing one-month community quarantine.
“The last update to me is they were able to packed around 300,000 and there are more coming,” he said.
Panelo said the DSWD is ready to distribute the food packs in case of emergency.
On the issue of “communication crisis” after the confusion on implementing curfew, the presidential spokesperson said there is no such thing as crisis.
“Maybe they (Metropolitan Manila Development Authority) were not to explain it better that it will not be immediately implemented. There should be an ordinance or the president (Rodrigo Duterte) will give imprimatur. Maybe that’s the mistake,” he said.
Panelo urged the public to be wary of false narratives being circulated in the social media that the national government is short of funds to address the national health emergency thereby creating apprehension and panic among the populace.
“We assure our people that we are prepared to use to the fullest the resources of the government to arrest the spread of the disease and secure the safety and health of the citizenry,” he said.
“We appeal to everyone to observe strictly the protocols espoused by the IATF on personal hygiene and social distancing that we may protect each other from being potential carrier and transmitter of Covid-19,” he added. Ella Dionisio/DMS
