Gordon to media: Inform the public on what needs to be done to beat covid

Citing the important role of the Fourth Estate in nation-building, Senator Richard J. Gordon called on the members of the media to provide the public, not only with accurate updates on the Coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 pandemic, but also to inform the people on what should be done to ensure victory over COVID.

During the inauguration of the Philippine Red Cross' molecular laboratory in Batangas City, Gordon, PRC chairman and CEO, pointed out that a number of people do not know the part they have to do to ensure the success of the country's fight against COVID.

"I'd like to address the media. Media is not here to make the news alone. The media must be there to help tell the public what they need to do. Marami sa atin, we don't know what to do. 'Yung mga tao, nag-iisip na lang saan ako kukuha ng susunod kong kakainin," he said.

The PRC head stressed that with the strong influence wielded by the media, members of the Fourth Estate would do the country a greater service if they could also report on the importance of getting tested for the disease that the whole world is currently waging a war against.

"We must not forget that COVID is an unseen enemy. Hindi katulad ng giyera, nakikipagbarilan kayo, nakikita niyo ang kalaban, eto hindi niyo nakikita. We can unmask the unseen enemy through testing. You have a population of 2.7 million here at kung 13% ang target dito, sinasabi ko sa inyong lahat, dapat ang kunin natin 351,000 na tao ang magpa-test para ma-flatten natin ang curve dito sa Batangas, kung idadagdag pa natin ang MIMAROPA, that's another 2-million. The task is gargantuan pero kaya natin 'yan," he stressed.

"Kung ang media, may mga discussion kayo at ire-report niyo sa tao na kailangang magpa-test para matigil ang sakit nila. Ipa-alam sa tao na if we don't test, we die; if we do not test, we cannot work. I think you will do a better job for your country. We must prove to the whole world that the Philippines can fight this disease. Kaya natin 'yan if everyone carries the load... And I know, we can make it happen with God's help," Gordon added.

The newly-inaugurated laboratory, equipped with four RT-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) machines that can run a combined total of 4,000 tests a day, brought the PRC's total testing capacity to 32,000 tests a day. The PRC already opened molecular laboratories in its former national headquarters in Port Area, Manila, which can run 14,000 tests; Subic and Clark, 6,000 tests and two in its headquarters in Mandaluyong, which can finish 8,000 tests a day.

Aside from running tests from Batangas and the other provinces in the CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) region, the Batangas City laboratory can also accommodate tests from MIMAROPA.