The Philippine Genome Center (PGC) is a good example of what science can do for people, the Department of Science and Technology's top official said Saturday, Jan. 16.
"It was indeed a very timely decision that DOST and the University of the Philippines (UP) with the help of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) partnered in putting up the Philippine Genome Center within the UP System way back in 2009," DOST Secretary Fortunato dela Peña said in a Facebook post.
"The main laboratories at the Science Complex in the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman and its two new laboratories in UP Visayas in Miagao, Iloilo and in UP Mindanao are shining examples of what science can do for the people. Kudos to the Philippine Genome Center," he added.
Countless efforts of the PGC since the onset of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic were lauded by the DOST Secretary.
He commended Dr. Cynthia Saloma, along with her entire PGC team on their "unceasing" and "dedicated work" in addressing the country’s COVID-19 pandemic concerns.
The secretary said the PGC worked 24/7 since the COVID-19 outbreak.Their efforts have resulted in the RT-Pcr testing and the skills training for technologists to operate molecular laboratories. Also, the center’s tests involving the DOST-UP-National Institutes of Health (NIH) project led to the early Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approval of the Manila HealthTek RT-Pcr Diagnostic Kit for COVID-19.
Dela Pena also cited the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD)’s Genome Sequencing Project which monitors variants in the COVID-19 virus.
According to the Department of Health (DOH), the B.1.1.7 lineage SARS- CoV-2 variant (UK variant) was detected through the Philippine Genome Center sequencing from a Filipino who arrived last January 7, 2021 from Dubai.
"We continuously remind everyone to practice the minimum public health standards (MPHS) such as observing safe physical distancing, proper and frequent hand washing, and wearing face masks and shields. These simple efforts are the most effective measures against the further spread of the virus," Dela Peña said.