Project ARK donates PCR equipment to PCMC

One thousand tests per day will be added to the targeted 3,000 PCR testing capacity of the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) after receiving Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) equipment and match machines from Go Negosyo Project ARK-PCR donated by Wilcon Depot, Inc. through the Quezon City government.

“The threat of resurgence is always there. The key to that is creating visibility, the only

way to create visibility is to do targeted mass testing: Employees, different barangays, and frontliners. Project ARK started to bring in a lot of equipment for RT-PCR testing. These are being deployed to 12 hospitals led by ARKPCR Private Sector Chief Implementer Jannette Garin,” Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion said.

“We’re looking forward to increasing the PCR capacity on a daily basis. All of the efforts from the government, Philippine Red Cross, and us, in the private sector, pooled together, will be a big help,” Concepcion added.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, who expressed her support for Project ARK during its rollout in the city, was also present in the ceremonial turnover. “Quezon City expresses its gratitude to Project Ark, headed by PA Joey Concepcion, it’s team of medical experts and the private sector community for continuously working with local government units like us in addressing this COVID-19 pandemic.”

Belmonte highlighted the importance of the donation as they can easily and quickly acquire the test results especially in these times where the city has recorded the most numbers of infections in Metro Manila.

ARK Project Lead Josephine Romero commended Wilcon Depot for its decisiveness in taking part in the call for PCR equipment donations. Wilcon Depot is a long-time partner and supporter of Go Negosyo on its different flagship programs. Present during the ceremonial turnover was Wilcon Depot President, Lorraine Cincochan. She also lauded Dr. Julius Lecciones, Executive Director of PCMC for his willingness to be the partner hospital of the initiative.

Concepcion’s Project ARK has taken the steps to boost both rapid and PCR testing across the country, while the government has made great strides, under the leadership of Sec. Carlito Galvez, to construct more COVID-19 facilities.

Project ARK has generated more

than 1.2 million rapid test kits from more than 300 partner companies. The initiative also activated and automated a total of 12 hospitals to contribute to the country’s PCR testing capacity, supplementing additional 12,000 daily testing capacity. These are all made possible through the help of ARK-PCR Private Sector Chief Implementer Janette Garin. In the coming weeks, Go Negosyo, Ayala Foundation, and San Miguel Foundation will be activating and automating 20 more hospitals.

“We will also conduct a seroprevalence test in NCR and Calabarzon on top of what companies are doing. The data gathered from the private sector’s continuous effort in testing, the data from the LGUS we are supporting such as Antipolo, Manila City, Batangas, Quezon City, Pasig, Taguig, and Makati, and the seroprevalence test that will happen in June, will allow better mapping of infections all over the country, and it will serve as the basis for the decisions by LGU leaders with regard to lockdowns,” Concepcion shared.