Days after opening two drive-thru coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) testing centers, the City of Manila launched its first walk-in testing facility at Ospital ng Sampaloc Monday morning.

Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso said that, similar to the drive-thru testing centers, both residents and non-residents of the city will be accommodated at the newly-opened facility for free, regardless of their reasons for getting tested. 

"It can be made available to everyone, (we're) just trying to be a good neighbor, trying to be inclusive in our approach to this universal problem," he told reporters. 

"Gusto naming akapin lahat ng kayang akapin. But one thing is for sure, hangga't may supply kami, we will never stop, hangga't ang COVID-19 vaccine ay natagpuan na (We want to embrace everyone. But one thing is for sure, as long as we have supplies, we will never stop, until the vaccine for COVID-19 is found)," he added.

Domagoso said the testing facility has a capacity of 150 tests per day.

The Manila mayor reiterated his belief that boosting the testing capacity and speeding up detection of COVID-19 cases is key to stem the spread of the disease.

"In this time of crisis, time is always of the essence. The earlier the detection, the better for the city, the better for the community, the better for you," he said.

Domagoso bared plans to open more walk-in testing centers at the city government's five other district hospitals, and more drive-thru testing facilities at the city's major thoroughfares. 

They are also planning to build another quarantine facility in Quiapo, Manila for confirmed COVID-19 patients, to augment the 12 isolation facilities that the city government already has.

The walk-in COVID-19 testing center at Ospital ng Sampaloc, as well as the drive-thru testing facilities in front of the Andres Bonifacio Monument and the Quirino Grandstand, will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays to Fridays.

Those who were tested will be informed of their results after at least 24 hours via mail. They can also pick up their results at the sites where they were tested. 

Members of the Manila Health Department (MHD) will be stationed at the said facilities to collect blood samples that will be processed by serology testing machines that have an accuracy rate of 99.6 percent. 

Domagoso earlier said the city is planning to purchase a fourth machine that will increase their testing capacity to 89,600 tests per month. 

They are also eyeing the purchase of more machines after receiving monetary donations in the amount of P10 million. 

Manila residents who will test positive will have to undergo a confirmatory polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.