OVP to start rolling mobile COVID testing in QC


Amid another surge of daily coronavirus cases, Vice President Leni Robredo on Tuesday, Jan. 4, announced the roll out of her Swab Cab initiative, which aims to help the testing capabilities of hotspot areas.

The Office of the Vice President’s mobile COVID-19 testing laboratory visits Marikina City on May 11, 2021 (Photo from Vice President Leni Robredo via Facebook)

In a Facebook post, Robredo said that the free mobile antigen testing will reopen this Wednesday, Jan. 5, in Tandang Sora, Quezon City, and the following day in the QCX site at the Quezon City Circle.

“We are rolling out our Swab Cab services again this week, in partnership with the Quezon City LGU (local government unit) and our Angat Buhay partners,” Robredo, who was in quarantine for the past week after being exposed to a COVID-positive close-in security, wrote.

Angat Buhay is the OVP’s flagship poverty alleviation program.

The Swab Cab site in Brgy. Tandang Sora will accept walk-ins from 8 a.m to 5 p.m while the QCX site has a pre-registration requirement through the LGU.

Patients have to wait for the confirmatory message from the LGUs after they registered through https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdFNEbfFsURJixSlrH1cVmtQnOrA1N17KiUj91r9-A38WAgHg/viewform.

READ: Robredo revives Swab Cab as nation expects another COVID-19 surge

“With the continuing increase of COVID-19 cases, patuloy po sana tayong sumunod sa mga (let us continue following) health protocol,” Robredo said.

The aspiring president reminded the public to wear face masks and remain at home if it is not necessary to go out.

In her post, she also asked everyone to get jabbed and get their booster shots once they are qualified.

“Let's keep each other safe from the virus!,” Robredo said.

On Tuesday, Jan. 4, the country logged 5,434 new cases, the highest in over two months or since October 23.

The 26.2 percent positivity rate is the highest since Sept. 15.

The new surge is purportedly fueled by the highly transmissible Omicron variant.