DFA welcomes Chinese donations, medical experts on COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines — Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. and Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III on Sunday morning welcomed a team of medical experts sent by the Chinese government to share best practices amid the fight against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.

The team, comprised of 10 medical experts in the fields of infectious disease prevention and control, clinic treatment, and laboratory testing, is set to work closely with the Department of Health for 15 days and are set to "exchange medical treatment experiences with their Filipino counterparts."

However, the Department of Foreign Affairs clarified in a statement sent to the media that the personnel will not take part in any direct clinical diagnosis or treatment.

Along with the medical personnel came another batch of medical supplies donated to the Philippines, which consisted of 300,000 surgical masks, 30,000 medical N95 masks, 5,000 medical protective suits, 5,000 medical face shields, and 30 non-invasive ventilators.


Also present at the welcoming ceremony were Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Concerns Brigido Dulay, and Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian.

Although Beijing broadcasts a decisive victory against the new pathogen, the international community has cast doubt on its transparency in its handling of the situation, with some states implying that China has intentionally underreported and covered up its actual progress. 

On Thursday, US Senator Ben Sasse (R-Nebraska) attacked Beijing's numbers as "garbage propaganda."

"Without commenting on any classified information, this much is painfully obvious: The Chinese Communist Party has lied, is lying, and will continue to lie about coronavirus to protect the regime," he said in a statement. 


In the DFA's press statement, Locsin expressed his appreciation and gratitude for China’s support to the Philippines in its fight against the pandemic and affirmed the department's commitment to advancing cooperation with China. 

Source: https://www.philstar.com/