Malacañang recognized the need to add more funds to improve the capacity of the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) to trace the different coronavirus (COVID-19) variants in the country.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque made the statement after the PGC sought at least P100 million to conduct wider sequencing operations in the Visayas and Mindanao.

In his press briefing on Monday, August 16, Roque believed that the 2022 budget would have more funds for the PGC.

"I think so. We rely on the genomic center para ma-trace natin kung ano na yung mga variant na laganap sa ating bayan (so we can trace the different variants that are spreading in the country)," he said.

"Importante po 'yan para alam natin kung gaano paiigtingin pa natin ang ating depensa (That is important so we will know how should we improve our defense, as well)," he added.

Roque said the PGC was right to request additional funds. He expressed confidence that its request will be granted by the Department of Health (DOH).

"If I'm not mistaken, pagbibigyan naman po 'yan because importante naman po talaga ang ating surveillance (Their wish will be granted because surveillance is very important)," he said.

"That has been recognized as a priority of the DOH-- to improve our surveillance capacity," he added.

Early this month, Roque said the government was already taking steps to expand the country's genome sequencing capacity.

Last month, the PGC said it would need P50 million each for its satellite centers in Visayas and Mindanao to be able to conduct whole genome sequencing which checks the presence of COVID-19 variants in positive samples.

The DOH has confirmed the first case of the Lambda variant in the Philippines as the country continued to address the spread of the more contagious Delta variant.

As of August 15, the DOH has detected a total of 809 Delta variant cases in the Philippines.