Philippines eyes share in UN Recovery Fund

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang reiterated the Philippines’ intent to possibly get a share from the United Nations Response and Recovery Fund after President Duterte lauded the UN body’s efforts to help developing countries in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We welcome the creation of the Fund that would help middle-income countries to fight COVID-19. It has just been launched,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr said yesterday.

Roque, concurrent Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) spokesperson, said the Philippines will be ready to look into proper mechanisms set by the UN to allow countries to tap into the fund.

“I am confident that whatever mechanism is, we have a permanent mission in the United Nations, and all requests to tap that fund will be coursed to the Department of Foreign Affairs and our permanent mission to the United Nations,” he said.

Meanwhile, Roque also announced the IATF protocols for the pilot use of rapid antigen tests in Baguio City for contacts of confirmed coronavirus cases in areas with documented clustering, and for domestic tourists and visitors with essential travel.

Quoting the Department of Health, Roque said, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has certified that antigen testing is now certified as a new diagnostic technology for SARS-COV-2. An antigen test is cheaper than RT-PCR test and results can be obtained in 15 to 30 minutes.

During the virtual presser yesterday, Health Undersecretary Dr. Leopoldo Vega also updated the public on the activities of the One Hospital Command Center.

Since the start of operations of the command center at the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) building in August, Vega said the One Hospital Command has received an average of 86 calls per day, most of which are being received and processed by two off-site call centers.

Vega reported that 64 percent of the cases referred to the One Hospital Command seek assistance for confirmed COVID-19 cases.

No special treatment

No special treatment shall be extended to any pharmaceutical company seeking approval to market a new vaccine against COVID-19 in the country, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

FDA director general Eric Domingo said all vaccines, including those for COVID shall undergo regular evaluation and must secure the required certification from the agency prior to clinical trial or public use in the Philippines.

“All steps will be there. All vaccines will be checked and evaluated expeditiously, there will be no special treatment of any of the vaccine,” Domingo disclosed during a virtual press conference yesterday. – Mayen Jaymalin