Mass testing for COVID-19 to reach 31,000 daily by next week –DPWH

By next week, the Philippines would be able to conduct 31,360 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) tests per day as four mega swabbing facilities were about to come online, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said Sunday.

DPWH Build, Build, Build Committee Chairperson Anna Mae Lamentillo told Super Radyo dzBB that the four mega swabbing facilities were being built at the Palacio de Maynila, the Enderun Tent, MOA Arena, and the Philippine Arena.

The facilities would be leased from the Yap Group of Companies, Dennis Uy companies, the SM Group, and the Iglesia ni Cristo.

"Hindi kami nahirapan manghiram ng facility and so pumayag agad sila when the government requested if we could convert it into a mega swabbing test," added Lamentillo.

Last week, Presidential Adviser on Entrepreneurship Jose Ma. "Joey" Concepcion said he was confident that the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) would be lifted on May 15, but added this could only be realized if testing for COVID-19 was optimized.

For this to be realized, Concepcion said mass testing for the coronavirus needed to be increased to an optimal 28,000 tests per day using the real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

The ECQ -- which had been extended twice -- will lapse on May 15, two months after it was first ordered on March 17. — DVM, GMA News