Ahh, to be a Pasigueño during Mayor Vico Sotto’s time must be fun.

We are on the nth day of quarantine and as always, nationwide mass testing is still not a thing. Getting tested for the coronavirus is expensive AF but that’s not the tea in Pasig right now though.

On Aug. 12, Mayor Vico Sotto announced on his social media pages that Pasig citizens can now get COVID-19 antibody testing for free. They are starting the tests today Aug. 13. Only 300 slots are available, so folks have to call in the city’s hotlines to make a reservation.

“Kung maayos po tayo bukas, itutuloy natin ito araw-araw. Kung dagsain ng mga walang reservation at mawalan ng social distancing, baka makansela ang proyekto,” writes Mayor Vico on his Facebook page. He also adds that this type of testing is different to close contact testing.

We can only hope that other local government units would adopt this kind of free testing program. Especially after a Thai newspaper recently called the Philippines “the land of COVID-19.” Instead of acknowledging and acting upon this totally valid criticism, Philippine Consul General to Bangkok Val Simon Roque cried “foul” and found it inappropriate. By the way, we’re now at 143,749 COVID-19 cases as of writing.

Read more:
Today, Sen. ‘Dick’ Gordon lived up to his name by snapping at a journalist
You heard Mayor Vico: LGU, not police, will lead COVID-19 search
Vico Sotto thanks frontliners, like all public servants should

Art by Yel Sayo