THREAD: PH Red Cross Chairman Sen. Richard Gordon holds media briefing. | LIVE https://bit.ly/35FkOVB 

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Gordon says 6,000 OFWs are stranded after Red Cross stopped conducting PhilHealth-funded coronavirus testing due to the agency's debt: And the government pays for the hotel. Can you imagine that?

Gordon: Bayaran niyo muna 'yung utang niyo because no organization can survive. P1 billion na ‘yun.

Gordon: We are not a profit-oriented organization.

‘No, they should pay the whole amount,’ Gordon says about the Palace’s plan to settle half of the debt first https://twitter.com/cnnphilippines/status/1319512930237386753

Gordon: Tingnan mo ha, magbayad ka ng kalahati. Anong mangayayari ngayon? Papalakihin nanaman? ‘Wag naman.

Gordon on PhilHealth's overdue balance with Red Cross: Kung meron lang kaming pera, we will test. Nagbayad sila ng ₱700M, inulit na naman, pinatagal na naman nang pinatagal.

Gordon: Kalahati ng med tech hindi ko muna pinagtrabaho. Ang laki ng sahod nila e, nahihirapan kami. Kalahati ng staff they are not working right now. But they are on call, the moment the testing arrives, we’ll do it faster.

Gordon says half of Red Cross' med techs are on leave, but are on call to return to work once the PhilHealth-charged testing can resume

Gordon: Ewan ko saan galing ang 50%, hindi ko alam ang 50%.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque previously said the government is expected to settle 50% of PhilHealth's debt within the week.

Gordon says Red Cross is ready to resume COVID-19 testing once PhilHealth pays its debt in full

Gordon tells gov't: We want to test, but you have to pay

Gordon to PhilHealth: I don't know why, I cannot fathom what goes into their minds. Sinabihan ka na ng Presidente, hindi ka pa magbayad? Baka naman may pinagbibigyan sila? Ayaw ko sabihin iyan pero naiinis na talaga ako.

Gordon: Sabi ng PhilHealth sa amin, 'Marami kaming pera, babayaran namin kayo.' Araw-araw sinasabi iyan.

Gordon says PRC is willing to bring down the testing cost charged to PhilHealth if the test kit manufacturer from China gives them a discount.

"Kapag mabigyan tayo ng discount, ibababa ko iyan. Siguro bababa ng ₱3,000 to ₱3,200. That's a commitment."

PRC previously said PhilHealth Chief Dante Gierran requested to adjust the testing fee from ₱3,500 to ₱3,409