The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) opened its 14th PRC molecular laboratory in Cotabato City Saturday, September 18, to further boost PRC testing capacity for COVID-19.
The molecular laboratory is equipped with two polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machines and one ribonucleic acid (RNA) extractor, which can process up to 2,000 tests a day.
The new molecular laboratory is in partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and will serve Maguindanao, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, and Davao City.
PRC Chairman and CEO Sen. Dick Gordon, PRC Secretary General Elizabeth Zavalla, PRC Cotabato Chairwoman Bai Fatima P. Sinsuat, Mayor Frances Cynthia J. Guiani-Sayadi and other executives from the Red Cross and local government unit of Cotabato attended the virtual inauguration of the newly built molecular laboratory.
“I would like to thank the International Committee of the Red Cross for this partnership in defeating COVID-19. Sa ngayon ay 200 test per day lamang ang capacity ng Cotabato Regional and Medical Center at sa pamamagitan ng bagong Molecular Laboratory this will further hasten our COVID-19 response and can test up to 2,000 tests per day,” said Gordon.
Gordon also emphasized the importance of regular testing to beat this invisible enemy. PRC recently lowered its RT-PCR testing fees for swab and saliva tests from 3,800-2,800 and 2,000-1,500, respectively.
PRC also is ramping up vaccination efforts nationwide to get more people vaccinated as soon as possible through the Bakuna centers and PRC bakuna busses, having inoculated over 217,808 individuals.