Duterte adviser blasts doctors group against rapid testing: Salita ng salita, wala namang ginagawa

Presidential adviser on entrepreneurship Jose Ma. "Joey" Concepcion III on Wednesday hit back at doctors groups that are against the use of rapid test kits amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the Laging Handa briefing on Wednesday, Concepcion defended the use of rapid test kits as a way to screen those infected by the coronavirus disease.

"'Yung problema na itong mga doktor, salita ng salita, wala namang ginagawa. Complain ng complain," he said during the virtual briefing.

"Itong mga grupo na ito, ingay ng ingay wala namang ginagawa. So anong gagawin ng buong private sector? Magla-lockdown tayo ulit?" he added.

He was responding to the claim of the Philippine Society of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (PSMID) that rapid test kits are not recommended to screen employees returning to work, given the high possibility of a false positive.

Concepcion, through the private sector's Project ARK initiative, has imported test kits to cater mostly to the private sector employees returning to work following the easing of lockdown restrictions.

"You know, 'yung private sector, itong mga may-ari [ng businesses], entrepreneurs, medyo matalino naman sila eh. hindi naman sila... They're street smart," Concepcion said, noting that a number of private companies have already ordered rapid test kits for their employees.

"These people are intelligent. 'Yung mga scientists, researchers, matagal na itong mga rapid tests, so proven na rin ito. So why is it that they are exporting this and whey are they using this in their own country and are able to control the virus," he added.

Malacañang on Tuesday said the Philippines targets to test 1.5% to 2% of the total population under the expanded testing for the coronavirus disease, but Coronavirus Plan Deputy Chief Implementor Vivencio Dizon said only 0.2% has been tested.

According to Concepcion, the rapid test kits will be able to paint a clearer picture of infections, given the limited capacity of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test kits.

"These doctors, if they have a better solution, what is the better solution? We can use the PCR, pero may capacity ba tayo? 3,000 lang 'yan a day, so kung hindi papasok ang private sector, walang capacity," he said.

"You want us to get the capacity of the PCR test? There's none eh, so what can we do?" added Concepcion.

In the same briefing, Concepcion noted that even the Presidential Security Group used the rapid test kits, showing the confidence of President Rodrigo Duterte on them.

"Mismo 'yung Presidente, naniniwala siya sa test kits. 'Yung mga entrepreneurs, 'yung mga Ayala, 'yung mga may-ari ng Ayala, 'yung mga may-ari ng SM, 'yung mga may-ari ng Lucio Tan Group of Companies, lahat ng mga conglomerates, pati kami, lahat ng malalaking corporation believe in rapid tests," he said.

"If the President believes in it, if the PSG believes in it, and if all the top entrepreneurs of this country believe in it then it does work. it's better to test than not to test." --KBK, GMA News