Expanded testing to build confidence as businesses reopen

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO---The government’s move to further expand testing protocols will help build confidence as businesses reopen to get the economy moving, National Action Plan Against COVID-19 Deputy Chief Implementer Vince Dizon said Friday.

Dizon made the statement as he urged private companies to have their employees returning to work tested for COVID-19.

“Kailangan natin ang expanded testing para sa pag-build ng kompyansa sa ating ekonomiya… China-challenge natin ang lahat ng private sector companies, lalo na yung malalaking kompanya na gawin na ang nagawa ng San Miguel na magkaroon ng sariling lab at mas importante itest ang kanilang mga empleyado para tumaas ang kompyansa at magsimula na tayo ulit,” said Dizon.

Dizon and National Action Plan Against COVID19 Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr. attended the inauguration of the San Miguel Foundation Testing Laboratory Friday. According to San Miguel President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon Ang, the COVID-19 testing facility can process up to 4,000 tests daily, and is still expandable to 12,000. He said the facility can process test results in just three hours.

The San Miguel laboratory is one of the total 74 accredited laboratories in the country as of July 1.

Dizon earlier recommended expanding COVID19 testing to non-medical frontliners working in transport and logistics, security and sanitation, education, media, retail, food, and services, as well as to employees returning to their respective workplace, even those who are asymptomatic.

“Dati, ang priority lamang ay yung mga may sintomas at yung mga may direct contact sa may mga symptoms. Noong una kasi kulang na kulang tayo sa kapasidad, iilan lang ang labs; pero ngayon, marami na ang labs, marami na ang capacity at dumadating na ang mga supply natin,” Dizon said.

The COVID-19 national task force earlier said the government aims to conduct 10 million COVID19 tests in the next 10 months. ---(BCDA)