Three to four cities, such as the nearby areas of Rizal and Pasig, are to benefit from the Marikina testing center should it be allowed to operate, Teodoro said on Monday.
“Alam natin na may clamor ang mga tao ngayon na mas maraming test kit na maging available, mas maraming testing center na mapupuntahan ang mga tao,” he said.
[Translation: We know that there is a clamor among the public for more COVID-19 test kits and testing centers to be available.]
Tedoro called on the Department of Health to accredit the said center as a laboratory for testing COVID-19, saying the health department should treat Marikina as a “partner” instead of “a mere client applying for a license to operate a laboratory facility,” especially at a time of a public health emergency.
“We should be able to ensure that testing is democratized, open access sa lahat ng Pilipino, lalo dun sa mga mahihirap na hindi kaya magpatingin sa mga pribadong ospital,” he said.
[Translation: We should be able to ensure that testing is democratized, open access should be given to all Filipinos, especially to the poor who are unable to have themselves tested in private hospitals.]
The Marikina mayor added that it is “imperative” for DOH “to be proactive to the initiative of the LGU in efforts to combat the threats of COVID-19, and not merely invoke regulations to follow and comply with.”
“This is a whole of government approach kung saan nagtutulong-tulong ang lokal at national. Kung ano ang kakulangan sa national ay pinupunan ng mga lokal na pamahalaan,” he said. [Translation: This is a whole of government approach wherein both the local and national work together. The local governments provide for whatever the national may lack.] He also assured that they will be in compliance with all protocols and standards set by the DOH.
The Philippines has a total of 462 confirmed COVID-19 cases after the DOH recorded an additional 82 cases on Monday—the country’s biggest single-day increase since the outbreak.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire attributed this surge to an “artificial rise” brought by the arrival of more testing kits from other countries.
Of the confirmed cases of the viral disease, 33 resulted in death, while 18 patients have already recovered as of March 23.
Globally, some 339,000 people have contracted the disease, with over 14,700 deaths and 98,000 recoveries, according to data from the Johns Hopkins University’s COVID-19 global tracker.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 23) — Marikina City Mayor Marcy Teodoro said he intends to share with other local government units the laboratory testing center he had set up for the early detection of COVID-19.
