Informed that the government's hospital command center could use more phone lines, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque phoned the heads of the country's two leading telcos to ask for all. This all happened during a live press briefing on Monday.
President Rodrigo Duterte's spokesman phoned Ayala Corp President Fernando Zobel, whose conglomerate operates Globe Telecom and PLDT Inc President Manuel Pangilinan. Roque put them on loudspeaker.
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Roque told Zobel: "Can we request Globe po for additional lines for the One Hospital Command Center?" The businessman said "we'll do our best to assist you" and told him that he was being referred to a Globe executive.
The spokesman told Pangilinan: "Pwede po ba natin sila bigyan ng fixed lines sa PLDT kasi medyo mahirap po sila ma-contact a ngayon? (Can we give them fixed PLDT lines because they are difficult to contact right now?)" The PLDT boss responded: "Yes, sir, we'll do that right away."
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