PRC to receive P5-M from Batangas LGU
This will allow some 1,400 residents to be tested for free
The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) is set to receive a P5-million cash donation from the Batangas provincial government to cover the swab tests of its residents who cannot afford to pay for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing.
This will allow some 1,400 residents to be tested for free.
For Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas, it would be a big loss for the province if the PRC will be forced to stop testing for COVID-19.
Mandanas shared that they have lost people they personally know to COVID-19 like Secretary Dennis Hernandez, the Senior Presidential Adviser for South Luzon.
He added that many residents here had to stop working after they contracted the disease.
Testing is essential for economic recovery, he said, especially with workers being one of the sectors mostly affected by the disease, which is why they want the continued operations of PRC’s molecular laboratories.
He noted that PRC has always been the local government unit’s partner in recovering from previous disasters.
“There are a lot of (COVID-19) cases here. It would be a big loss if the (Philippine) Red Cross would not operate here. This is why we will donate P5-million so they can continue testing the indigents here in our province,” Mandanas said.
“We granted the (Philippine) Red Cross a land so they can put up a chapter here as they have always been with us in every disaster,” he added.
The Batangas governor also expressed his gratefulness to PRC chair, Senator Richard Gordon, who has been leading the PRC in helping the province amidst the pandemic.
“The Red Cross was the first one to help when the Taal volcano erupted. They have been of big help,” Mandanas shared.
As of 13 October, at least 45,068 cases were recorded by the Department of Health in the Region 4A-Calabarzon region.
Last 8 July, the PRC opened a molecular laboratory in Batangas with a capacity of 4,000 tests per day.