President Rodrigo Duterte said the government is procuring one million medical protective items and is ramping up its tests for possible carriers of coronavirus disease.

Duterte, in a taped televised national address late Monday night, said the government is marshaling and deploying the resources of government to provide frontline health workers with everything they require so they can save as many lives as possible.

"We are now procuring medical supplies, devices and personal protective equipment," he said.

"About one million medical protective items are being acquired right now, with the government and the private sector working together to purchase or produce the necessary quantities," Duterte said.

"We are also ramping up our capacity to test more broadly to take a fuller and more accurate picture of the spread of COVID-19 in the country. We will also build, operate and accredit more medical facilities and laboratories in the coming weeks," he added.

There were concerns earlier that health workers and other frontliners have been running out of personal protective equipment.

The Department of Health earlier rejected calls for mass testing due to insufficient test kits and laboratories to do the process.Duterte thanked those who have donated PPEs and test kits to the country, such as China, Singapore, the private sector and foundations.

"On behalf of the Filipino people, I thank you [for your] compassion and your generosity, and my personal gratitude," he said.

Duterte also hailed the frontliners, including those who perished while doing their jobs."They are lucky. They died for the country. That should be the reason for dying...it would be an honor to die for your country, I assure you," he said.A number of health workers, including doctors, have died due to COVID-19 in the past weeks. Celerina Monte/DMS