LOCAL government units (LGUs) have the authority to buy their own test kits for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), according to Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III.
“Pwede naman sila. Basta bilhin lang nila ‘yung approved ng
FDA para meron naman silang kasiguraduhan (They can do that. As long as they
buy those that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration so they are
assured) as to quality and safety of those tests,” Mr. Duque said in an
interview over radio DZBB on Monday.
Chairman of the Union of Local Authorities of the
Philippines (ULAP) Presbitero J. Velasco, Jr., in a separate interview over the
same radio station, asked the national government to allow LGUs to procure
their own kits to fast-track the testing of persons under investigation (PUIs)
and those under monitoring (PUM). He said current rules prohibit local
governments from using public funds for the test kits.
The Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) is
the umbrella organization of all leagues of local government units (LGUs) and
locally elected government officials.
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| Gov. Presbitero J Velascon (left) in a recent meeting with the Marinduque Inter-Agency Task Force. At left is provincial administrator Vincent Michael Q. Velasco |
“Kaya po ni-ri-request namin, itong public funds po na sa
ngayon ay hindi pa po ina-allow ay payagan na pong ipambili nitong (That is why
we are making the request, as of now it is not allowed to use public funds to
buy) rapid screening test,” Gov. Velasco said.
He said it is important in managing the situation to
immediately determine which ones among the PUIs and PUM are actually positive
of COVID-19.
Mr. Duque, however, cautioned that LGUs should follow
biosafety standards and to designate proper biosafety infrastructures and
manpower to facilitate the testing.
ILOILO CITY
Iloilo City has already purchased 2,500 test kits from South
Korea using a P5.5 million fund donated by local businesses.
“Here in Iloilo City, the private sector came up with the
funds for us to be able to buy test kits from Korea.
Masks are also given by the private sector. Now we see a lot
of private sector, working together to produce improvised personal protective
equipment for medical frontliners,” Mayor Jerry P. Treñas said during an
international teleconference last week.
The mayor served as one of the reactors and the
representative of LGUs in the first session of a webinar entitled “Expert
Dialogue on Resilience, Public Health, and Human Security” organized by the
National Resilience Council in partnership with ARISE Philippines, Zuellig
Family Foundation, and the Makati Business Club.
The Western Visayas Medical Center in Iloilo City has been
accredited by the Department of Health (DoH) as a testing laboratory for
COVID-19.
Mr. Treñas lamented the national government’s lack of clear
guidance and direction for LGUs on the COVID-19 response.
“We feel that we are isolated, no clear directions have been
given to us on what should be done and what should be undertaken… There is a
need for communication, for those in charge to continuously communicate the
issues affecting the LGUs,” he said. - From BusinessWorld
