The Armed Forces of the Philippines would be deploying five medical teams to augment the strained workforce of public and private hospitals in Metro Manila that were hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

A former warehouse worker testified yesterday before the Senate Blue Ribbon committee that he and fellow workers were asked by Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. to tamper with the labels of old and substandard face shields meant for medical workers procured by the government to make it appear they were manufactured recently.

To get a better picture of the country’s pandemic situation, individuals who tested positive through rapid antigen tests will now be included in the daily COVID-19 case tally, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said yesterday.

As of last night, the government still had not come up with the implementing rules for the easing of the requirement for wearing face shields.

The number of Philippine National Police officers who have died of complications related to COVID-19 has reached 115, the PNP reported yesterday.