By Raymund Antonio
Another new testing facility will be completed on Wednesday for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Clark, Pampanga, according to Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) President and Chief Executive Officer Vince Dizon.
Another new testing facility will be completed on Wednesday for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Clark, Pampanga, according to Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) President and Chief Executive Officer Vince Dizon. (BCDA photo/ via Donna Rempillo /MANILA BULLETIN)
“Malapit na pong matapos. In fact, I think sa Wednesday matatapos na po ang Red Cross molecular laboratory dito sa Clark (It is almost done. In fact, I think on Wednesday the Red Cross molecular laboratory here in Clark will be finished),” the BCDA chief said.
Dizon announced the completion of this testing laboratory in response to the COVID-19 crisis during the virtual Laging Handa briefing.
The Philippine Red Cross partnered with the Department of Health (DOH) and the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to put up the facility.
The PRC has a testing laboratory in Mandaluyong city currently operating polymerate chain reaction machines. It has four machines that can process 4,000 tests per day.
Dizon said another molecular laboratory of the Red Cross has also been completed in Subic, Olongapo City.
”Kasama po ito sa pag-build-up natin ng testing capacity para po nga sa susunod na mga araw ay dadami nang dadami na ang ating mga iti-test sa buong bansa (This is also part of our efforts to build up our testing capacity so that, in the coming days, we can conduct more tests in the whole country), he explained.
Dizon noted the opening of the molecular laboratory was the result of a “huge coalition of private and government agencies.”
In the same briefing, the BCDA cheif said that returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) will undergo 14-day mandatory quarantine at the Garden Suites of Iglesia ni Cristo’s Philippine Arena in Bulacan.
“I think may mga darating na po ngayong gabi o bukas ng umaga (some will arrive tonight or tomorrow morning),” Dizon said.