SMC's Ang wants COVID-19 test kit prices regulated

San Miguel Corp. (SMC) President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon Ang on Tuesday called for the regulation in the prices of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing kits.

In a statement, Ang said the price of testing kits should be made an affordably low P1,500 each, compared with the P4,000 per test being reported.

"We have to be able to find a way to regulate the price for testing. These test kits are in short supply but right now, we are fortunate to have been able to get them at less than P1,500 each," he said.

"We believe that this is a fair enough rate for medical facilities that are using donated equipment and PPEs (personal protective equipment) to charge especially to small companies who would have to test their employees to be able to safely reopen their workplaces," added Ang.

As of Tuesday, May 12, 2020, the Philippines has so far recorded a total of 11,350 confirmed cases of the coronavirus disease. This includes 2,106 recoveries and 751 deaths.

For its part, SMC announced plans to put up its own testing laboratory which would cater to the company's 70,000 employees and extended workforce.

"Apart from donating more test kits, we are increasing donation of high-capacity testing machines to help significantly increase the number of tests that can be processed daily to contain the spread of the virus," he said.

"We need to produce more test kits, and make testing affordable, if not free, to the hardest-hit communities," added Ang. — DVM, GMA News