Palace visitors undergo rapid tests for COVID

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang has implemented the mandatory conduct of rapid testing for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) for persons entering the Palace compound, apparently to ensure the safety of President Duterte and other government officials who regularly meet on the developments of the campaign against the spread of the virus in the country.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said rapid tests are conducted at Malacañang, which was revealed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. in his social media account.

“Yes. We have nurses administering them,” Roque told The STAR yesterday.

Roque did not elaborate but Locsin revealed the tests were conducted upon entry to the Malacañang complex.

“I was rapidly tested, result in 10 minutes as a precondition to entering Malacañang. Negative,” Locsin said.

“I left the Palace to go to the airport to see off hundreds of Canadians. I need to go to the Palace again for another test. (Cabinet Secretary) Karlo Nograles has had all his fingers punctured already,” he said.

Apparently, Locsin had to return last Tuesday to the Palace after sending off the Canadians stranded in the country due to the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon.

Duterte and members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases regularly conduct meetings at Malacañang.

As head of state, the health and safety of President Duterte are the primordial concern amid the COVID-19 crisis, Roque said last night.

He confirmed that people, including members of the Cabinet, who have to personally see the President need to undergo the mandatory testing using the rapid test kits.

“One, the (rapid testing) is used for those who want to seek audience with the President,” Roque said.

“(As for) mass testing, it would be used for those with symptoms. Of course, Malacañang is different because it is used for those who will see the President as a precaution. So hindi nasusunod ang protocol na dapat may symptoms, no? It’s just at least ma-screen kahit papaano ang may audience sa President,” he added.

Roque shrugged off the new health protocol imposed at Malacañang to ensure the safety of Duterte.

“It’s very similar to a pregnancy test or to a fasting blood sugar test. Ang ayaw ng DOH dyan yung 90 percent accuracy on false negative but if it’s positive, most likely it’s positive,” he said.

Last month, the Presidential Security Group (PSG) stepped up inspections and background checking of Cabinet members and guests with official business in Malacañang.

A purported COVID-19 scare happened after a congressman who was earlier announced to be a carrier – but wrongly classified by Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) – interacted with some Cabinet officials, causing the PSG to add more precautionary measures on preventing the spread of the virus.

Apart from filling up a health declaration form, the PSG also required mandatory checking of body temperature. Guests with cough and colds or other symptoms are advised not to pursue business inside Malacañang.

Some Cabinet members have also opted to go into home quarantine after exposure to some officials who were tested positive of the coronavirus. The PSG said the precautionary measures are imposed to protect the President and the seat of government.

DOH warning

The Department of Health (DOH) warned the people yesterday that test laboratories for COVID-19 that operate without appropriate certification would expose more people to undue harm.

DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said she understands that everyone wants to have a faster testing process for COVID-19 but in doing so, public welfare should not be compromised.

She said a laboratory should not be hastily opened at the expense of compliance with protocols set to protect our citizens from harm. – With Sheila Crisostomo, Delon Porcalla, Pia Lee-Brago