Instead of imposing coercive restrictions against those who are unvaccinated, presidential aspirant Sen. Manny Pacquiao said Thursday the government should provide free and easily accessible rapid antigen and RT-PCR tests for all.
He also questioned the absence of a uniform, reliable and integrated contact tracing mobile application as he pointed out that the country can manage the COVID-19 pandemic better through mass testing and effective contact tracing.
According to Pacquiao, mass testing and systematic contact tracing would allow health authorities to properly segregate and isolate those who are sick without the need to curtail the basic rights of those who are unvaccinated.
This would also provide the government with the best tool to handle the pandemic without resorting to heightened alert levels and community lockdowns.
Antigen testing facilities, he said, should be established in every barangay, in health centers, in malls, and even in workplaces.
RT-PCR test sites can be established in quarantine sites so that only those who are tested positive in the rapid antigen test can be quarantined while awaiting the result of their confirmatory test, the boxing legend said.
Those who have either mild or without symptoms can be allowed to do self-isolation provided they can prove that they have a safe space for quarantine.
Also important, Pacquiao said, is the strict implementation of relevant health and safety protocols in all public spaces, especially the wearing of masks and the regular use of alcohol and other disinfectants.
While he supports the government’s vaccination campaign, the senator said certain people cannot be compelled to be vaccinated such as those who have medical conditions and those who are held back by their religious beliefs. Some wanted to get a jab, but the vaccine is still unavailable in their area.
“We fully support the vaccination campaign of the government,” he said.
Pacquiao also questioned why after more than 2 years into the pandemic, the government has yet to come up with a universal and integrated contact tracing system.
This could have allowed health authorities to automatically identify and communicate with people who may have close contacts with COVID-19 positive individuals.
He said that up until now, cities have varying contact tracing apps and would not honor the Staysafe app, which is currently used by some establishments. Worse, there are areas that still require people to manually fill up health declaration forms.
