Presidential adviser for entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion apologized on Wednesday.
His pronouncements seemed to condemn all doctors. He also defended the use of rapid test kits to restore workers after some companies were about resumption.
Concepcion said in a statement. “First of all, I would like to record that I have nothing. But, the utmost appreciation and respect for the doctors. And also, front-line staff who continue to provide tremendous service to our country during this crisis.”
Earlier Wednesday, during the televised Laging Handa conference, Concepción blasted doctors who were “complaining” about the use of rapid test kits. And also, he said they would recommend a cheaper solution instead.
But Concepcion reasoned that, given the country’s limited capacity, employees can not undergo polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing in laboratories.
“This virus has dealt a devastating blow to our nation’s physical and financial health. And we have to fight hard to save them, “said Joey Concepcion.
“We are facing a collective enemy and we need to do everything in our arsenal to fight it against. My aim in setting up Project Ark is to make all tests available and affordable to all Filipinos.
“We were able to reduce the cost of rapid test kits by more than 50 percent through the tireless work of our private donors and medical volunteers. We hope to do the same with RT-PCR tests. This will greatly help increase government efforts to enhance our country’s testing capacity, “he continued.
Project ARK (rapid antibody testing kits), a private sector initiative spearheaded by Concepcion. It has ramped up worker testing in private companies.
Nevertheless, the Department of Health (DOH) said workers are not expected to perform a COVID-19 test.
Before going to work unless they have signs or have been subjected to coronavirus disease 2019.
