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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Locsin 'spoke too soon', apologizes to a Manila-based newspaper

Locsin 'spoke too soon', apologizes to a Manila-based newspaper

Published Jun 10, 2021 05:29 pm

Known for his distrust of the media, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Thursday apologized to a Manila-based newspaper for undermining the veracity of its report on the 370 respirators which were left rotting at the warehouse of the Department of Health (DOH) in the middle of the raging COVID-19 pandemic.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. (Malacañang)

“Oh, sorry, at the June 9 hearing of the HOR’s (House of Representative’s) Committee on Good Governance the DOH rep admitted the 370 BIPAP machines donated by Temasek to Amb. Yan and I have not been distributed to hospitals. I apologize to the Manila Standard. Totoo pala. S--t. Will avoid donations,” tweeted Locsin who was himself a former newspaper publisher.

Locsin’s knee-jerk reaction on Twitter stemmed from a report published by the Manila Standard pertaining to the failure of the DOH to distribute the respirators to various hospitals nationwide where COVID-19 cases are high and medical equipment are lacking.

Several lawmakers, including Deputy Speaker and Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez whose own district is currently experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases, said the DOH has committed “criminal negligence” when it purposely did not distribute the respirators to where they are needed most.

“@DFAPHL check the veracity of this report. I was proud and deeply grateful to receive the generosity of Temasek. I don’t trust media. Please verify,” the Foreign Affairs secretary said in a tweet apparently after reading the newspaper headline.

In June last year, the Temasek Foundation of Singapore donated 100 oxygen concentrators to various local government hospitals in the Philippines to help the Philippines in its response to the pandemic.

Temasek Foundation is a non-profit organization under the philanthropic arm of Temasek Holdings, Singapore’s state sovereign fund.

It was not clear in the report whether the donations from Temasek Foundation were among those left rotting in the DOH warehouse.

Related Tags

House of Representatives Department of Health (DOH) apology Teodoro Locsin Jr.
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