All donations for healthcare facilities and frontliners to fight the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) disease must undergo the right process through the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) for inventory and proper allocation, the Department of Health announced Thursday.
The DOH issued the statement after receiving flak from angry netizens who criticized the additional tiring bureaucratic layer in processing donations.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III explained that the new process is mandated under Administrative Order No. 27.
“Nakasaad po dito na ang lahat ng donasyon para sa gobyerno o sa DOH… na gagamitin para sa COVID-19 ay ipadadaan sa OCD para sa consolidation,” Duque said.
“Ang OCD ay makikipag-ugnayan sa mga ahensya for inventory and allocation,” he added.
The country’s health chief also clarified that people who wish to bring their donations directly to their chosen recipients still have the option to do so.
Duque also said that people are still free to bring their donations straight to their recipients.
“Ang mga donors po na gustong dumiretso sa pagbibigyan ay pahihintulutan po. Hindi po nila kinakailangang dumaan sa OCD subalit kailangan ipagbigay-alam ng mga ahensyang tumanggap ng mga donasyong ito ang mga natanggap nila sa OCD,” Duque explained. (RJ Espartinez)