TERESA D. ELLERA, CARLA N. CANET
August 30, 2020

FORMER Third District representative and now Provincial Consultant Alfredo Benitez clarified he has no personal agenda on coming up with the "Timeout Weekend," the mass testing in Bacolod City and three cities and a municipality in the province, that will end Monday, August 31, 2020,

Provincial Consultant Alfredo Benitez. (Richard Malihan photo)

"We called for a timeout weekend to facilitate mass testing for everyone’s benefit, not for anyone’s personal gain. I am not competing with anyone nor have any personal agenda out of this. Covid-19 is our common enemy. Let’s focus on how to combat this crisis," Benitez said in a statement over the weekend.

Benitez issued a statement after some criticisms surfaced over the program.

The mass testing was implemented in Bacolod City on August 28 to 29 and in Murcia, Talisay City, Silay City and Bago City until August 31.

"Our LGUs mobilized resources to make this happen. Healthcare workers have answered our call to swab and test people despite the risk from exposure. Businesses have also voluntarily suspended operations," Benitez said.

"We thank them for their sacrifice and support. We also thank the public for their trust and cooperation. To our critics, may you emulate our frontliners. Instead of maligning us, help us," he said.

"If our direction serves, in your mind, a greater good, then join us. If not, then speak out and offer actual solutions," Benitez added.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental has provided food assistance to the participants in the Timeout Weekend Mass Testing involving a significant number of residents from the Cities of Bago, Talisay, Silay and Murcia.

Negros Occidental Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said that upon the directive of Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, food assistance was provided to the said sector, who voluntarily submitted themselves to undergo reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests in various venues in the said local government units.

Diaz said the Provincial Government sent 700 bags of food assistance to each of the Cities of Talisay, Silay, Bago and Murcia town to support all frontliners and participants of the Timeout Weekend Mass Testing.

The timeout weekend was the initiative of Provincial Consultant on Economic Affairs former 3rd District Representative Albee Benitez, which was fully supporter by the town and city mayors within Metro Bacolod.

The local chief executives collaborated with the punong barangays of the host villages.