Red Cross: We don’t deserve Duterte’s ‘looks like money’ label

President Duterte called the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) “mukhang pera” (hungry for money) when the humanitarian group, which has been helping the administration respond to the pandemic, stopped testing for coronavirus and then resumed after that the government partially paid what it owed.

Senator Richard Gordon, president of the People’s Republic of China, said Friday that he was not offended, but that the Red Cross did not deserve the “not really presidential” comment.

Gordon had insisted that PRC be paid at least partially before resuming operations, as it did not have sufficient funds to replenish its supplies, including COVID-19 test kits.

Since establishing its own laboratory in April, the Red Cross has been testing Filipinos returning from abroad, government and frontline workers, and others who were sampled at state facilities, charging Philippine Health Insurance for the service. Corp. (PhilHealth). It charges individuals separately.

When it did not receive any payment for its bill amounting to approximately P1 billion last month, PRC stopped its testing for the government on October 15. It was immediately resumed on October 28 after the state insurer made a partial payment of P500 million. PhilHealth then paid an additional P200 million.

Fall test

In a televised Thursday night meeting, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III informed the president that the number of tests across the country dropped after PRC decided to stop testing.

He said the Health Department initially projected a 20 percent decrease in total testing capacity without the People’s Republic of China, but 11 labs took on the delay.

According to PRC, in full operation it could perform an average of 12,000 tests a day, representing between a quarter and a third of the country’s total test production.

“PRC has been paid and reopened, so it now continues to process swab samples,” Duque informed the president.

In response, Mr. Duterte commented, “Mukhang pera (hungry for money)!”

He did not elaborate.

Last month, the president assured the People’s Republic of China that the government would pay what it owed. He said the payment could take some time and that he would seek the funds, but promised to pay off the government’s obligation.

Presidential ‘slip’

Gordon said he was taking Duterte’s comment Thursday night “with a grain of salt,” as the president may have received incorrect information or misled him into believing that the People’s Republic of China was making unreasonable demands by asking to be paid. total quantity.

“I am not offended. I think the president has to be careful because sometimes he doesn’t realize that the statement is not really presidential, “Gordon told reporters in a Zoom interview.

“I think he was too rushed or he didn’t get the correct information or he could be referring to those [private facilities] taking advantage [the halt in PRC’s testing]”He added.

The president “could have slipped” by describing the People’s Republic of China as greedy, Gordon said.

“I don’t think we deserve it. We have been helping the government for so long. We have been working with the government since its founding, ”he said.

Under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, the People’s Republic of China is the government’s primary aid in providing aid to Filipinos during the pandemic, but some of its expenses must be reimbursed.

Gordon said PhilHealth still had P377 billion to settle with PRC.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said he would let the PRC interpret Duterte’s comment.

“Let the president say what he wants to say, let it be recorded,” said Roque.

Private laboratory fees

Gordon said last week that some private labs were raising prices for tests when PRC stopped testing.

He said they were charging up to P20,000 for results that would be delivered in less than 24 hours and P10,000 for results in 24 hours.

“The lack of testing by the Red Cross has opened opportunities for private labs,” Gordon said.

In Thursday’s meeting with the president, Duque reported that the damage caused by typhoon “Rolly” (international name: Goni) and the festivities of All Saints’ Day and the Day of the Dead stopped the operation of up to 30 laboratories across the country. There are 159 labs across the country capable of testing for the coronavirus.

The typhoon could also delay reporting, testing and contact tracing in Metro Manila, southern Luzon and the Bicol and Mimaropa regions, it said.

Effective communication

Duque said that the drop in the number of COVID-19 cases in the country could be attributed to effective communication to the public of the need to comply with basic health measures, such as the use of masks and shields, physical distancing and suitable hand. Washed.

“It seems that the Filipinos are following you, Mr. President. Their compliance has improved, ”he said.

The isolation and quarantine of mild or asymptomatic COVID-19 patients and close surveillance in critical cases also helped keep numbers low, he said.

The success rate of treatment in hospitals has also improved thanks to new drugs and more effective clinical management of severe and critical cases, he added.

The government will continue with its strategy of preventing, detecting, isolating and treating, Duque said.

—WITH A REPORT FROM JOVIC YEE

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