Gordon: Gov’t should shoulder expenses for testing frontliners

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Richard “Dick” Gordon on Monday said that the government should conduct massive COVID-19 testing for healthcare workers both in public and private healthcare institutions as frontliners also pose a great risk in spreading the virus.

“Hangga’t sila (frontliners) ay hindi nate-test at lagi silang exposed sa mga pasyente, delikado iyan kaya dapat gawin nating mandatory ang pagpapa-test sa kanila,” he said in a press statement.

Based on the data of the Department of Health (DOH), only 2,700 of the 25,000 public health workers from the National Capital Region were tested.

Gordon believes that the COVID-19 pandemic will not be easily solved and would probably return for another wave of infections. “-kaya pinagpipilitan nating ma-test ang frontliners, ang mga healthcare workers natin para hindi sila makapanghawa at hindi rin sila madisgrasya,” he added.

He also said that the Government should shoulder the expenses for the massive testing of health workers. – Jim Mendoza, trainee