DOH clarifies RITM director not replaced amid testing row

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III clarified that RITM director Dr. Celia Carlos was not replaced, explaining that a Department Order was erroneous and has since been corrected.

Assistant Secretary Ernesto Santiago was designated as an overseer for RITM's accredited testing facilities to help manage them, not to replace Dr. Carlos.

Duque stated that Santiago's appointment was to assist the RITM staff, as they are currently few in number.

The clarification came after the hashtag #NoToVIPTesting trended on Twitter, with netizens protesting against politicians being tested for COVID-19 and disregarding the DOH's triage algorithm.

Netizens criticized politicians for skipping protocols despite limited test kits and pushed for hashtags like #MassTestingNowPH and #CheckYourPrivilege.

The DOH previously stated that only persons under investigation in severe to critical condition should undergo testing, while asymptomatic patients with exposure history should undergo home quarantine.

As of Sunday afternoon, the Philippines reported 380 COVID-19 cases, with 25 deaths and 17 recoveries.