On May 18, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the government has no program for mass testing yet due to its limited resources.
This surprised the public who thought the first month-long total lockdown extension in the whole of Luzon from April 14 to 30 was supposed to be so that government can commence mass testing on April 14.
“As much as possible po ano, mayroon tayong—ini-increase natin iyong capacity natin ng testing, kaya nga we’re aiming na aabot tayo sa 30,000. Pero in terms of mass testing na ginagawa ng Wuhan na all 11 million, wala pa pong ganyang programa at iniiwan natin sa pribadong sektor,” Roque said during a press briefing.
[As much as possible, we are increasing our testing capacity so we are aiming to reach 30,000. But in terms of mass testing like that implemented in Wuhan where 11 million will be tested, we don’t have a program like that and we leave that up to the private sector.]
While the public know all too well that mass testing has not even begun after two months of lockdown that would now exceed the duration of the lockdown in Wuhan where COVID-19 cases first broke out, many were in disbelief there was no program for mass testing as Roque said so.
Misquote lang ba to? Kasi hindi ako makapaniwalang hindi tayo nagpre-prepare for mass testing na kailangang-kailangan ngayon pic.twitter.com/PdOsgoAKP1
— Angel Locsin (@143redangel) May 18, 2020
"Mass testing on April 14, 2020" is the new " I will get rid of drugs, corruption, traffic in 3-6 months". ?
— ☄ (@theycallmejae) May 18, 2020
like, this too shall pass, but it really can’t without mass testing tho
— kakie (@kakiep83) May 18, 2020
this tweet didn’t age well..
highest fatality rate
lowest recovery rate
longest lockdown
P265B peso budgetwala paring plano para sa mass testing.. para saan ang lahat na yun? https://t.co/oTBzEqVbc6
— Janina Vela (@janinavela) May 19, 2020
*screams* Stop framing a public health issue that you clearly can't manage as a discipline issue. Stop passing blame to the people when YOU promised mass testing that hasn't happened and admitted we were opening up not for safety but for the economy. This is a government fuck-up. https://t.co/cfjaLvJ9rm
— Æ DEFEND PRESS FREEDOM BLOG (@ajejelicano) May 19, 2020
Others questioned why a state responsibility in the face of a public health crisis is being passed on to the private sector, especially after government allowed itself to more funds and loans supposedly to address the pandemic.
kinuha yung 275B na pera ng bayan, kinulong sa bahay ang mga mamamayan ng 2 buwan, tapos bahala na pribadong sektor sa mass testing?
what a scam. https://t.co/otYz0QVZ3I
— Pilo Hilbay (@fthilbay) May 18, 2020
Bakit nasa pribadong sektor ang responsibilidad ng mass testing kung nasa gobyerno ang bilyones na pondo? Ito ba ang plano nila — na pagkatapos kunin ang pera natin, iiwan tayo sa ere?
— Chel Diokno (@ChelDiokno) May 19, 2020
You expect us to pay for mass testing after you have effectively laid everyone off?
You extended the lockdown longer than WUHAN, & you think we still have money to burn?
You created this huge problem, in the 1st place, & you want us to pay the price for your madness?
NO WAY. https://t.co/qVsWOJRPgp
— Francis Baraan IV (@MrFrankBaraan) May 19, 2020
Some also belied Roque’s claim that no other country was able to do mass testing.
https://t.co/BoRcsl2Hdh pic.twitter.com/UIFRFaEPCe
— Vin #OUSTDUTERTE (@VinQuilop) May 19, 2020
ang galing talaga ng korea. after ng second wave nila because of the club incident in itaewon, they were able to trace and test every PUI right away at ganun lang po, natapos ang second wave nila.
wala pang isang buwan. ganon lang. #MassTestingNowPH
— AC #DefendPressFreedom (@ItsACsLife) May 19, 2020
FAKE NEWS! Iceland, Vietnam, Cuba, Germany, and South Korea, among others, have done a MASSIVE VOLUME of testing.
Nomenclature may be different but all refer to the same: Mass test all PUIs and PUMs, build more labs for quick results, trace contacts, and disinfect EVERYWHERE. https://t.co/ZPgXFci4Jp
— Mon Sy #TulongHindiKulong (@YearoftheMonSy) May 19, 2020
Roque later clarified his comments were taken out of context and said the government is not doing mass testing but “expanded targeted testing.”
Proof: Harry Roque said that there is no mass testing program yet and ‘iniiwan natin sa pribadong sector.’ He was not take out of context, @cnnphilippines reported correctly. It’s Roque’s fault that he didn’t answer properly.
— Kevin Ona (@kibinona) May 19, 2020
CNN Philippines stands by the story we published on Monday, May 18, with the headline "Up to private sector to carry out mass testing, Roque says amid limited testing capacity." pic.twitter.com/oB2q5kDOYK
— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) May 19, 2020
Napikon ba sya? ?
Harry Roque reacts to CNNPH tweet that there is no MASS TESTING. He lost it LOL. pic.twitter.com/HdGy3WWxiq
— Rod Magaru ? (@rodmagaru) May 19, 2020
Headline that caused the uproar and that embarrassing encounter between Roque and Trisha Terada on national tv. We're already progressively increasing TARGETED mass testing na man? D ko talaga gets yung aggression niyo. Pls message me if you want to educate me pic.twitter.com/VTnHIvnwgc
— Beatrice Solon (@beasolon) May 19, 2020
Roque would insist this is a problem of terminology. But what people find the problem, especially now lockdowns are easing, is that there is no mass testing. And the lack of it could endanger the reopening of the economy and return to work activities of the people.
Mass Testing = Expanded Targeted Testing
Same Meaning.
Same Intention.
Different Name.
Only to confuse us.What we need is the immediate action from the Government! pic.twitter.com/wG4wgJp8Ul
— Jiil Rod (@jiil_rod) May 19, 2020
Not a lockdown but a community quarantine
Not a party but a mañanita
Not 'mass testing' but 'expanded targeted testing'
ano pa
— wayne christian (@waynedows10) May 19, 2020
Media: Roque said no mass testing
Roque : *Blames media*
Joseph Morong: quotes him directly saying no mass testing at the extent of Wuhan. But some testing.E di wala ngang mass testing! Buti na lang meron pang semblance of free press sa bansang ito. But they are working on that
— Kip Oebanda (@kipoebanda) May 19, 2020
Roque’s blaming us for using “mass testing” as the term for whats supposed to be done, kaya daw nagpapanic yung tao. It should be “expanded testing” daw. Are you serious???? It doesn’t matter what you call it the point is ITS NOT HAPPENING & WE NEED IT TO at least flatten d curve pic.twitter.com/IVtwtlSs6B
— Panget! At The Disco (@baklangkanal) May 19, 2020
Call it "mass testing", "targeted testing", or whatever, but be sure to test ALL probable cases alongside those they came into contact with & those in high-risk areas.
We're not asking the impossible. All we're asking the government to do is what they said they will do.
— Gideon Lasco (@gideonlasco) May 19, 2020
Ulitin lang natin, para malinaw sa lahat. Mass testing means RT-PCR tests for:
– All suspected and probable cases of Covid-19.
– All persons who came in contact with persons found positive w/ Covid-19.
– Surveillance testing in highly infected areas.
WE NEVER SAID TEST EVERYONE.— Teddy Casiño (@teddycasino) May 19, 2020
On April 3, National Task Force COVID-19 Chief Implementer Carlito Galvez said government will start mass testing on April 14, only a day after the lockdown and more than two and a half months since the first COVID-19 case in the country. April 14 came and went and up to now there is o mass testing and the government grappled with how to label its testing program.
The government continued to miss its testing capacity targets up to present. They said this week they have reached as many as 11,000 tests per day, but an average of 8,000 tests per day, the target for April 30. They have now missed their May 15 target of 20,000 tests and has only tested 0.19% of the population as cases continue to increase at an average of 200 per day in the past week. Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque’ statement that infections in the country was low was rebutted by citizens who said the government has not even undertaken mass testing.
Meanwhile, Marikina City as the only local government unit who set up its own testing laboratory and pressed on for mass testing early announced today that they conducted COVID-19 mass testing on at least 6,000 tricycle drivers. And will do so for many other ordinary citizens returning to work.
