Manila Bulletin
Philippines
Marikina City to push through with opening of COVID-19 testing center even without DOH approval
Philippines
Marikina City to push through with opening of COVID-19 testing center even without DOH approval
Marikina City to push through with opening of COVID-19 testing center even without DOH approval
Published Apr 14, 2020 12:00 am
By Jhon Aldrin Casinas
The Marikina City local government will push through with the opening of its coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Testing Center on Friday, Mayor Marcelino Teodoro announced on Tuesday, even without the permission of the Department of Health (DOH).
Marikina City Mayor Marcelino ‘Marcy’ Teodoro presents the Marikina coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Testing Center, a free-standing facility, in Barangay Concepcion Uno on Tuesday. Mayor Teodoro says that the new two-storey facility will be operational on Friday even without the approval of the Department of Health. (Photos courtesy of Marikina LGU / MANILA BULLETIN)
The local chief executive said he has invoked the city’s local autonomy in addressing the outbreak of the coronavirus that has already infected dozens of its residents.
“Iniinvoke na ng Marikina ang kaniyang local autonomy. Ito ay nasa mandato ng bawat lokal na pamahalaan (Marikina has invoked its local autonomy. This is the mandate of every local government unit),” Teodoro said.
“Idemanda na nila ako para sa kababayan ko. Sa tingin ko, mas malaking kasalanan sa batas at tao ang kawalang aksyon ng DOH ngayon (Sue me if you want. In my point of view, it is a much bigger mistake against the law and humanity the inaction of the DOH right now),” he stressed.
In invoking the city's local autonomy, Teodoro cited Section 16 of the Local Government Code which states that every local government unit (LGU) shall exercise the powers necessary and appropriate in the promotion of general welfare and health of the public.
Such move, he said, is pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 922 which declares a State of Public Emergency in the country and enjoins all LGUs to mobilize the necessary resources to undertake critical, urgent, and appropriate response and measures in a timely manner to eliminate the threat of COVID-19.
For nearly a month, the scheduled mass testing of the local government has been put on hold after the DOH rejected the city’s proposed COVID-19 testing center which was previously set up at the sixth floor of the City Health Office.
After an assessment, the DOH earlier said the city’s testing facility “needs further enhancement to adhere to the existing standards for bio-safety and bio-security,” and should be transferred to a separate location.
In response, the local government has identified another location for the testing center—a two-storey, free-standing building in Barangay Concepcion Uno.
“We have been waiting for a long time for the approval of the DOH. We have followed all protocols that they were asking from us, as well as the standard they required for us to follow,” Teodoro said.
“We have also followed all their recommendations and the findings that they have observed from the laboratory that we have set up three weeks ago.”
Despite the lack of approval, Teodoro stood firm in his decision to begin with the operation of Markina’s COVID-19 testing center in the next few days, noting that persons under monitoring will be the first ones to be tested.
He explained that the swabbing of the patient will be conducted within their homes or at the hospitals.
“Testing is important. This is a good strategy that Marikina will implement in order for COVID-19 cases here in the City of Marikina to plateau,” he said.
"We will not stop with testing. What follows testing is treatment. Treatment will also include isolation. If we will do this effectively—the testing, treatment, and isolation—we expect that cases of COVID-19 will decrease,” he added.
Teodoro also inked a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Manila Health Tek, Inc. for the order of 3,000 additional COVID-19 test kits.
The local government had earlier purchased 3,000 test kits from the private bio-technology company, which is a spin-off of the University of the Philippines—Manila.
Marikina City Mayor Marcelino ‘Marcy’ Teodoro presents the Marikina coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Testing Center, a free-standing facility, in Barangay Concepcion Uno on Tuesday. Mayor Teodoro says that the new two-storey facility will be operational on Friday even without the approval of the Department of Health. (Photos courtesy of Marikina LGU / MANILA BULLETIN)
The local chief executive said he has invoked the city’s local autonomy in addressing the outbreak of the coronavirus that has already infected dozens of its residents.
“Iniinvoke na ng Marikina ang kaniyang local autonomy. Ito ay nasa mandato ng bawat lokal na pamahalaan (Marikina has invoked its local autonomy. This is the mandate of every local government unit),” Teodoro said.
“Idemanda na nila ako para sa kababayan ko. Sa tingin ko, mas malaking kasalanan sa batas at tao ang kawalang aksyon ng DOH ngayon (Sue me if you want. In my point of view, it is a much bigger mistake against the law and humanity the inaction of the DOH right now),” he stressed.
In invoking the city's local autonomy, Teodoro cited Section 16 of the Local Government Code which states that every local government unit (LGU) shall exercise the powers necessary and appropriate in the promotion of general welfare and health of the public.
Such move, he said, is pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 922 which declares a State of Public Emergency in the country and enjoins all LGUs to mobilize the necessary resources to undertake critical, urgent, and appropriate response and measures in a timely manner to eliminate the threat of COVID-19.
For nearly a month, the scheduled mass testing of the local government has been put on hold after the DOH rejected the city’s proposed COVID-19 testing center which was previously set up at the sixth floor of the City Health Office.
After an assessment, the DOH earlier said the city’s testing facility “needs further enhancement to adhere to the existing standards for bio-safety and bio-security,” and should be transferred to a separate location.
In response, the local government has identified another location for the testing center—a two-storey, free-standing building in Barangay Concepcion Uno.
“We have been waiting for a long time for the approval of the DOH. We have followed all protocols that they were asking from us, as well as the standard they required for us to follow,” Teodoro said.
“We have also followed all their recommendations and the findings that they have observed from the laboratory that we have set up three weeks ago.”
Despite the lack of approval, Teodoro stood firm in his decision to begin with the operation of Markina’s COVID-19 testing center in the next few days, noting that persons under monitoring will be the first ones to be tested.
He explained that the swabbing of the patient will be conducted within their homes or at the hospitals.
“Testing is important. This is a good strategy that Marikina will implement in order for COVID-19 cases here in the City of Marikina to plateau,” he said.
"We will not stop with testing. What follows testing is treatment. Treatment will also include isolation. If we will do this effectively—the testing, treatment, and isolation—we expect that cases of COVID-19 will decrease,” he added.
Teodoro also inked a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Manila Health Tek, Inc. for the order of 3,000 additional COVID-19 test kits.
The local government had earlier purchased 3,000 test kits from the private bio-technology company, which is a spin-off of the University of the Philippines—Manila.