To keep the concerted efforts to contain the COVID-19 virus running at full speed, BDO Foundation, together with Go Negosyo, the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) and the local government of Mandaluyong City partnered for the implementation of pooled RT-PCR testing in the city.
Mandaluyong City will be the second city in the National Capital Region and third in the country to implement the pooled RT-PCR testing, following Makati City and Cebu City, for the testing of an estimated 8,000 public market vendors and PUV drivers. All testing efforts in these cities were fully supported by the BDO Foundation.
Testing in Makati has been completed, and a report is being prepared. Training in Cebu has already begun, and actual pooled testing will be performed soon, Frontpageph.com learned.
Considered a game changer in efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus, pooled testing combines swab samples from individuals and examines them together using a single reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction or RT-PCR test kit. Pools of five, 10 or 20 persons can be tested depending on the prevalence of COVID-19 in an area. The method is expected to boost capacities, expedite tests and significantly reduce costs.
Following the “virtual” signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between the stakeholders, an exchange of messages of support followed, led by the BDO Foundation, through its trustee, Nestor Tan, who is likewise President and CEO of BDO Unibank, Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion, Mandaluyong City Mayor Carmelita “Menchie” Abalos, and representatives from the Philippine Children’s Medical Center. Also present was Iloilo 1st District Representative Dr. Janette Loreto-Garin, who serves as project consultant.
BDO Foundation trustee and BDO Unibank President and CEO Nestor Tan expressed his honor and gratitude for being invited to be part of the endeavor and to Go Negosyo and Project ARK for leading the testing initiative to allow the economy to gradually open.
“I think this is a very important and critical initiative to help our SME business partners. BDO Foundation remains committed to its advocacies despite the pandemic, one of which is in healthcare, and what more to provide healthcare support than in the field of testing.”
He adds that maybe in this small way, they can help frontliners and critical support staff in the servicing of the economy.
“The people of Mandaluyong is truly honored and grateful to be part of the pooled testing initiative. This is indeed a game-changing innovation, and being included in the roster of beneficiaries of this worthy undertaking is a monumental move in our fight against COVID-19,” Mayor Abalos, for her part, said.
She likewise thanked Concepcion for paving the way to create the synergy among the public and private sector partners to capacitate the government’s efforts to curb the infection. “With the exponential increase of our mass testing capacity, our local and national economy will slowly but significantly find its right footing toward recovery and opening the possibility of rebuilding lives, reopening of businesses and enterprises.”
Concepcion thanked BDO Foundation for supporting the initiative. the results of Makati was enlightening. Despite the high number of people needed to be tested, the cost of pooled RT-PCR testing is still significantly cheaper than individual testing, which is quite expensive.
“I would like to thank the research team who has been very effective and we look forward to the other LGUs to implement the pooled testing.”
Other LGUs are also in the pipeline for the succeeding pooled testing activities. According to Rep. Garin, the same pooled testing is also being done in one city and 7 towns in Iloilo.
Dr. Criselda Abesamis, Director, Special Concerns Technical Cluster of the Department of Health (DOH), said they have also started coordinating with other cities in NCR such as Pasay and Pasig, Marikina, Manila and Quezon cities, and also in Baguio City, Batangas City, including Cagayan de Oro and Zamboanga City.