Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso has signed an ordinance realigning ₱40 million of the city’s budget to purchase more medical equipment and supplies to strengthen the city’s coronavirus disease (COVID-19) mass-testing efforts. Ordinance No. 8657 authorizes a budgetary realignment to cover COVID-19-related expenses of the city government.
“Gagamitin natin itong ₱40 million para palakasin ang health sector (We will utilize this ₱40 million to strengthen the health sector), and to commit ourselves for mass testing in Manila,” Domagoso said in a statement.
“This is part of our continuous efforts in sustaining and strengthening our health services in our own little way for the peace of mind of our people. This effort is to make COVID19 testing accessible, efficient, and free for all,” the mayor said.
Under the ordinance, the Manila City Council approved the supplemental budget which will be sourced from the City Development Fund.
About ₱20 million will be allocated for the procurement of COVID-19 testing reagents, ₱10 million for the maintenance and operating expenses of COVID-19 testing laboratories, and ₱10 million for the purchase of medical equipment.
The Manila City government has been consistently strengthening its efforts to make COVID-19 tests free for all, both for Manilans and non Manilans.
The city government currently has two drive-thru testing sites – one in front of the Andres Bonifacio Monument and one at the Quirino Grandstand.
Likewise, the city government currently has two walk-in testing sites – one at the Ospital ng Sampaloc and another at the Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center.
To process COVID-19 tests, Domagoso said the city government is using serology testing machines from American healthcare firm Abbott which have accuracy rate of 99.6% for specificity and 100% for sensitivity.
Currently, the Manila City government has four COVID-19 serology testing machines which are able to process more than 89,000 tests a month.
The mayor bared during a meeting with city health officials and hospital directors that another serology testing machine will be procured by the city government.
This will increase the city government’s serology testing capability to about 112,000 tests a month.