By Gabriela Baron Rising number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Manila is due to the local government unit’s (LGU) mass testing efforts, Vice Mayor Dr. Honey Lacuna-Pangan said. Lacuna-Pangan on May 23 said that the COVID-19 cases in the nation's capital is expected to rise due to the city’s continuous mass testing operations. She added that with mass testing operations, the city will be able to identify and isolate infected residents from their communities. “Halimabawa, sa isang community, meron na kaming nakitang positive sa swabbing. So magco-concentrate na kami sa community na ‘yun. Bubugbugin namin ‘yung community na ‘yun sa rapid testing pagkatapos lahat ng makuha namin na positive dun, is-swab na natin. At least maze-zeroed na natin kung asan yung may problema,” Lacuna-Pangan said. The vice mayor also said that the city is identifying barangays with several COVID-19 cases so residents could immediately undergo rapid testing. “Lahat ng nag-positive doon, automatic iswa-swab na po namin, i-isolate na po agad namin sila. Hindi na po natin sila ibabalik sa community nila,” Lacuna-Pangan added. A total of 41,458 rapid tests and 7,328 swab tests have already been conducted as of May 22, based on a data from the city’s Health department. Lacuna-Pangan explained that the number of COVID-19 cases in Manila is expected to increase every day due to the LGU’s mass testing efforts. “Gaya po ng sinasabi ni Mayor Isko Moreno, ie-expect po natin, mga batang Maynila, na tataas na po yung numero ng mga magpa-positive sa kadahilanang gumagawa tayo ng mass testing ngayon (Just like what Mayor Isko Moreno said, the number of COVID-19 cases in the city is expected to rise due to the LGU’s mass testing efforts),” she said. Lacuna-Pangan added that the Manila City government has started constructing its own COVID-19 testing laboratory at the Sta. Ana Hospital. Once completed, the laboratory could process nearly 200 swabs per day.