Palace defends COVID-19 testing, quarantine exemptions for state employees
MANILA, Philippines — The Duterte administration on Monday defended its decision to exempt state employees who are on official business from the testing or quarantine protocols implemented in their place of destination, saying it would ensure unhampered delivery of services.
The exemption, which is contained in the government pandemic task force's Resolution No. 98-A, was meant to allow state officials or personnel on official businesses an "unimpeded travel" to their place of destination.
Sen. Imee Marcos has criticized the exemption, calling it a "double standard" that is "outrageous and dangerous." She has also warned that the "special treatment" given to government employees would make it more difficult for local governments to contain COVID-19.
Malacañang justified the exemption, citing the need to ensure the timely delivery of services to different areas in the Philippines.
"There is no double standard there because first, the giving of services by the national government to different places in the Philippines cannot be delayed," presidential spokesman Harry Roque said at a press briefing.
Roque, who has been criticized in the past for going to tourist spots during the quarantine, was photographed diving in Boracay over the weekend, PressONE.ph reports.
"Second, government offices have their own protocols. We in the Office of the President conduct regular testing and we would immediately know if someone gets sick. So let us trust the employees of the national government that they won't allow themselves to become spreaders," Roque added.
Roque said different agencies of the national government have also adopted measures to contain COVID-19, which has so far infected more than 537,000 people in the Philippines.
- Latest
- Trending
