As Malacañang announced a one-week extension of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital Region, Cavite, Bulacan, Laguna, and Rizal, a house leader called on the government to provide free mass testing to its residents to identify individuals that have been infected by COVID-19 in order to isolate and treat those who have contracted the disease and halt rising COVID-19 numbers.
In a video posted on his personal Facebook account, Deputy Speaker Benny Abante, Jr. said that he supported the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to extend the ECQ for another week.
The country during the Holy Week set record-highs in the number of new cases reported daily. On Good Friday, the Department of Health reported 15,310 new cases, while on Holy Saturday it reported 12,576 new cases.
“Samantalang kinakampihan ko ang ating IATF sa pagdeklara ng ECQ muli ng isang linggo, ay sana naman magbigay na ng free mass testing sa ating mga kababayan,” said the representative from the 6th District of Manila.
“Wag na po nila pagbayarin; ang kailangan na kailangan po ngayon ay malaman natin kung sino po ang positive at sino po ang negative.”
According to Abante, on top of providing free mass testing, the government should likewise prepare isolation and quarantine facilities for those found to have contracted COVID-19.
“Ihanda na po natin lahat ng ating mga isolation facilities, ang mga ospital, at mga quarantine facilities, kung kinakailangan,” stressed the solon.
The lawmaker said that given the prohibitive costs of RT-PCR testing, the government could use antigen tests to be able to test more people––especially the poor––for free.
The lawmaker said that given the prohibitive costs of RT-PCR testing, the government could use antigen tests to be able to test more people––especially the poor––for free.
“Ilibre na ang taumbayan, especially ang mahihirap, sa mga testing na ito upang ating nang mabawasan ang nangyayari sa pandemic na ito.”
The country during the Holy Week set record-highs in the number of new cases reported daily. On Good Friday, the Department of Health reported 15,310 new cases, while on Holy Saturday it reported 12,576 new cases.