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Politics

GOV’T URGED: USE LAB NETWORK FUND FOR MASS TESTING

The government should immediately “release and disperse” the P7.92-billion fund in the 2022 national budget for the government’s COVID-19 Laboratory Network so the current surge in the demand for testing could be met, Senator Joel Villanueva said. Villanueva said the amount should be “downloaded without delay” to public health facilities so they can cope with […]

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MASS COVID TESTING, MASS BOOSTER JABS NOW – LACSON

Aggressive COVID-19 mass testing, mass contact tracing and mass vaccine booster shots, vaccination of minors aged 5 to 11 – and a tougher stance against violators. These are among the steps the government and the public should take in dealing with COVID-19 – including the latest surge of infections, Senator Panfilo Lacson said. Lacson, who […]

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Politics

PROVIDE FREE MASS TESTING NOW – PANGILINAN

Senator Kiko Pangilinan reiterated his earlier call to have a free mass testing in the wake of the ongoing upsurge of COVID-19 cases in the country. Pangilinan believes that the spike can be a result of the national government’s decision to loosen restrictions in the past months, which resulted in increased mobility of people. “To […]

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Politics

USE BAYANIHAN FUNDS FOR FREE TESTING – PANGILINAN

With at least P20 billion in funds, the government should roll out a more aggressive testing and contact tracing program for the coronavirus to locate as many carriers of the infection and curb its spread, Senator Kiko Pangilinan said. Pangilinan made the call as public and private hospitals in Metro Manila and nearby provinces are […]

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MASS TESTING WILL DECREASE COVID INFECTIONS – CASTELO

“The number of infections keep increasing because we do not have mass testing.” This according to Quezon City 5th District Councilor Karl Castelo who, on Easter Sunday, lamented the fact that “more than a year after the first lockdown was imposed, we are in a much worse situation than ever before.” “Ang problema kasi sa […]

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EVACUEES NEED COVID-19 MASS TESTING – GORDON

Senator Dick Gordon is urging the Department of Health (DOH) to map out plans for the mass testing of evacuees who have to be temporarily sheltered at evacuation centers around the country during calamities to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Thousands of evacuees in some provinces of Luzon are now camped out […]

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Politics

PH HAS NOT REACHED TARGET OF 1-M COVID-19 TESTS FOR MONTH OF MAY – PANGILINAN

As the Senate discussed the measure extending the Bayanihan Law, Senator Kiko Pangilinan asked if the government has slowed down the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic after spending P353 billion for this purpose. “We’d like to know: We’ve spent 353 billion [pesos]. We will allocate another 130-140 billion [pesos]…With all the money spent in the last […]

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Politics

PRIORITIZE PERSONS RETURNING TO WORK FOR COVID-19 TESTS – ANGARA

As Metro Manila and other highly urbanized cities are gearing for further easing of restrictions on movement and the return to work for even more people, Senator Sonny Angara said testing for COVID-19 should be ramped up already in order to avoid another outbreak of the disease in the country. Until such time that more […]

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Politics

EXPLAIN SECOND WAVE OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC — PANGILINAN

Senator Kiko Pangilinan is questioning the pronouncement of the Department of Health that the country has “flattened the curve” and is now on the “second wave” of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. “Can you please explain to us how can we say that we already flattened the curve when we have not tested enough? Until […]

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Politics

MASS AND RANDOM TESTING NEEDED TO CONTAIN VIRUS – ANGARA

In order to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) faster, Senator Sonny Angara said the government must speed up the implementation of mass and random testing, particularly at the community level. There are more than 6,000 cases of COVID-19 in the country and the figure is expected to go up further as tests […]