DOH: Gov’t OK’d P295.7-M budget for Visayas, Mindanao genome centers

The government has approved a P295.7-million budget for the University of the Philippines-Philippine Genome Centers (UP-PGC) in the Visayas and Mindanao, paving the way for expanded genome sequencing, the Department of Health (DOH) said Friday.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the funds, which were downloaded last week, will help boost the country’s weekly genome sequencing output from 750 to 2,200 samples—1,500 in PGC Main and 350 each in the Visayas and Mindanao.

The DOH has repeatedly said that logistical limitations prevent regions from regularly sending samples for genome sequencing to Metro Manila.

“Ang pinaka-advantage nito at benepisyo sa ating gobyerno, nahati niya at napabilis niya ang proseso dahil ‘yung mga taga-Visayas, taga-Mindanao, dito na lang sila magpapadala… makikita po natin nang mas marami ‘yung variants of concern,” Vergeire said in a briefing.

(The main advantage and benefit of this to our government is it will speed up the process because those from Visayas and Mindanao will send their samples to their respective facilities… we will be able to see more cases of variants of concern.)

Vergeire said the training of personnel from UP Visayas and Mindanao began this week. After this, the funds will be used to purchase reagents, kits, and other equipment.

“Hopefully, in about one to one and a half months, sana po makakapag-umpisa na po tayo (Hopefully we can start in about one to one and a half months),” she said.

“Ang pagpapalakas po ng biosurveillance capacity natin ay malaki ang maitutulong hindi lang po sa ating COVID-19 response ngunit pati na rin po sa ibang disease outbreaks na maaaring kaharapin ng bansa in the future,” she added.

(The strengthening of our biosurveillance capacity will be a big help not just to our COVID-19 response but also to other disease outbreaks that the country may face in the future.)

The Philippines has logged 1,273 cases of the highly infectious Delta variant, as well as 2,322 Alpha cases and 2,588 Beta cases, as of August 21. — RSJ, GMA News