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Roque insists on holding briefings in Malacañang even as more Palace personnel test positive for COVID-19

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Arianne Merez, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/07/09/20180123-presidential-spokesperson-roque-mnib-01-s.jpg"/></figure></div>MANILA-- Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Tuesday he would insist on holding his regular briefings in Malacañang despite the rising number of COVID-19 infections reported among Palace personnel.Roque on Tuesday returned to the New Executive Building (NEB) in Malacañang for his regular noontime briefing. The building was <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/21/20/pcoo-suspends-work-after-employee-tests-positive-for-covid-19">closed</a> on July 21 for disinfection due to confirmed COVID-19 infections.&quot;Itong building naman po, isinara ng nine days eh. After five days, patay na naman po iyong virus kaya nagpumilit kami na bumalik dito sa NEB kasi tingin ko, ang mensahe na ipinararating natin na tayo po ay nagpre-press briefing dito sa NEB, hindi po tayo natatakot kay COVID-19,&quot; Roque said.(This building was closed for 9 days. The virus is killed in 5 days so we insisted on going back here because we want to send a message that we do our briefings here because we are not afraid of COVID-19.)&quot;Mag-iingat po tayo pero ipagpapatuloy po natin ang hanapbuhay, ipagpapatuloy po natin ang ating mga katungkulan,&quot; he added.(We will be careful but we will continue with our duties.)The Office of the Presidential Spokesperson shares the NEB with the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) led by Secretary Martin Andanar. The building also houses the Malacañang Press Briefing Room. Last week, the building was closed for disinfection after the PCOO confirmed cases of COVID-19 among its personnel. The PCOO, which has 22 personnel infected with COVID-19 as of Tuesday, has suspended its office work at the NEB until further notice. Roque meanwhile remained firm on holding press briefings at the NEB, saying none of his staff have contracted the virus. &quot;COVID or no COVID, tuloy po ang ating palitan ng impormasyon. Kami po ay naka-50 percent workforce kada araw, so alternating po kami na pumapasok,&quot; Roque said.(We will continue to exchange information even with or without COVID. We are on 50-percent workforce so we go to work alternately.)<div>TESTING ISSUES, TECHNICAL GLITCHES</div>But Tuesday&#x27;s Palace briefing encountered technical glitches, and issues on rapid antibody testing were raised by Palace personnel. The staff of Radio Television Malacañang (RTVM) who were asked to help with Roque&#x27;s briefing did not receive rapid antibody testing contrary to the assurance given by Roque&#x27;s office, RTVM executive director Demic Pabalan said.Pabalan said 15 RTVM personnel reported to NEB to set up for Roque&#x27;s briefing at 9 a.m and waited for the rapid antibody testing but there was none.&quot;Fifteen personnel from PBS-RTVM reported to the New Executive Building (NEB) at 9:00 AM to finish the set-up and waited for the rapid testing supposed to be provided by the OPS. When there was none, PCOO made coordination with the Presidential Security Group for the rapid testing of all 15 personnel,&quot; Pabalan said in a statement.Assistant Secretary Rachel Queenie Dizon-Rodulfo of Roque&#x27;s office meanwhile said their office coordinated with the PSG for the rapid testing.&quot;It is the OPS which provided the rapid test kits for the aforesaid staff while waiting for the PCOO’s rapid test kits. It is also the OPS that made the proper coordination with the Presidential Security Group Hospital for the conduct of rapid testing to the said employees,&quot; she said.Communications Secretary Andanar confirmed Pabalan&#x27;s report as well, noting that Roque&#x27;s office should shoulder the rapid antibody testing of RTVM personnel for future briefings.Pabalan said they have strict health protocols given that the RTVM Office in Malacañang remains on lockdown after two of its personnel tested positive for COVID-19.&quot;Given the current situation of our personnel being primary contacts to COVID-19 positive cases, PBS-RTVM is following this protocol for Presidential coverages -- no negative results yielded, no coverage to be rendered,&quot; Pabalan said.&quot;This is to avoid further and unwarranted transmission of the COVID-19 virus not only among its own personnel but the public as well,&quot; he added.RTVM personnel who were supposed to help were not able to do as well due to issues with rapid testing, with Roque acknowledging that his office had to seek technical help from the private sector for the briefing to push through.Roque on Tuesday was supposed to lead the forum that serves as an addendum to President Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s fifth State of the Nation Address but technical glitches forced Roque&#x27;s office to cancel it as he opted to push through with his regular briefing instead.The forum will instead be held on Thursday, Roque said.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Tuesday returned to the New Executive Building (NEB) in Malacañang for his regular noontime briefing. The building was closed on July 21 for disinfection due to confirmed COVID-19 infections.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Tuesday returned to the New Executive Building (NEB) in Malacañang for his regular noontime briefing. The building was closed on July 21 for disinfection due to confirmed COVID-19 infections.

Roque insists on holding briefings in Malacañang even as more Palace personnel test positive for COVID-19

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Roque insists on holding briefings in Malacañang even as more Palace personnel test positive for COVID-19

Arianne Merez,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 28, 2020 06:51 PM PHT

Read More:

Harry Roque

Malacañang

NEB

New Executive Building

RTVM

coronavirus

covid-19

PCOO

Martin Andanar

Demic Pabalan

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