MANILA, Philippines — Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque doesn’t endorse self-swabbing, just like what actor Robin Padilla did.
In RTVM’s recent "Public Briefing," Duque was asked if the Health department allowed self-swabbing.
"Meron tayong mga panuntunan o pamantayan para gawin 'yan. Hindi pwedeng sarili niyong gagawin 'yan dahil unang-una, 'yung resulta magiging kwestyonable," Duque said.
"Dahil kung hindi naman ito naaayon sa mga tamang pamantayan, eh kaduda-duda ang mga resulta. So hindi natin dapat ginagawa 'yon," he added.
Padilla on Sunday posted a video of himself along with others self-swabbing because the nurse were still not around.
“6 ng umaga mag umpisa na kami ng trabaho pero wala pa ang nurse. Hindi dahilan sa mga mandaragat ang walang nurse, kailangan isagawa ang covid test,” Padilla wrote.
“Basta isaksak mo ang swab stick hanggang sa dulo at makiliti mo ang utak mo, at kapag naluha kana tsaka mo iikot ng 5 hanggang 8 segundo yun na raw yun,” he added.
Padilla received lots of criticism on what he did. He, however, defended himself on Instagram.
“2 taon na po ang COVID kung wala ka pa rin natutunan lalo ang mag test sa sarili mo kung walang available na health frontliner sa lugar mo abay masyado ka ng nag-pacute,” he said.