Robredo says free E-Konsulta services non-political, blasts 'fake news' on social media
Vice President Leni Robredo assured the public on Tuesday that her office's Bayanihan E-Konsulta services, a telemedicine platform, is not being used for election purposes.
Robredo, who is running for president in the May 2022 elections, made the statement in light of social media accounts claiming that Bayanihan E-Konsulta is being used to ask a precinct number of those who avail of the services amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Sobrang kasinungalingan ito. Wala kaming binago sa registration. We ask for personal details kasi magrereseta po ang doktor tulad ng address, telephone number, medical records. Hindi kami humihingi ng precinct numbers kasi hindi iyon relevant data," Robredo said in an online press conference.
(These claims that we are using the telemedicine platform for elections are lies. We did not change anything on registration for patients availing the services. We ask for personal details such as address, telephone number, medical records, because our volunteer doctors would need to give prescriptions to them.)
In a social media post, Robredo described the claims as "fake news" and added that it is "unforgivable" that they are being circulated amid the sharp increase in COVID-19 cases.
"Fake News at the height of the worst surge is unforgivable," she said on Facebook.
She urged her supporters to report those spreading the false information.
In her press briefing, Robredo said such effort to discredit the initiative is present because Bayanihan E-Konsulta's service has been able to help a lot of people amid the surge in COVID-19 cases.
"Nakakatulong talaga itong Bayanihan E-Konsulta. Kung gusto niyo i-discredit, gumawa kayo ng mas magandang programa. To discredit these efforts using fake news is very unfair," Robredo said.
(We are really being of help. If you want to discredit us, think of a better program to help.)
Cap on patients
Robredo said that with the rising COVID-19 cases that hit 33,000 new cases in a day on January 10, the Bayanihan E-Konsulta has already set a cap of catering only to 400 patients in a day.
"We had to set a cap at 400 a day because we are also short of volunteers. For tomorrow, the 400 slots have already been filled in 13 minutes," Robredo said.
"And when people register for our services, we do not ask for political affiliation," she stressed.
Aside from free telemedicine services, the Bayanihan E-Konsulta also provides free COVID-19 care kits which include:
- Phenylpropanolamine Hydrochloride/Chlorphenamine Maleate - 12 pcs
- Paracetamol - 20 pcs
- Carbocisteine - 12 pcs
- Cetirizine - 5 pcs
- Butamirate - 12 pcs
- Oral Rehydration - 3 sachets
- Hexetidine - 1 pc
- Vitamin D - 10 pcs
- Vitamin C - 20 pcs
- 1 Digital thermometer
- 1 box of facemask
- 1 oximeter
- 1 disinfectant
- 1 bottle alcohol and
- garbage bag
—KBK, GMA News