Project ARK donates PCR machines to PCMC

MANILA, Philippines — One thousand tests per day will be added to the targeted polymerase chain reaction testing capacity of the Philippine Children’s Medical Center after the PCMC received 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 ARK-PCR private sector chief implementer Janette Garin,” Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion said.

“We’re looking forward to increasing the PCR (testing) 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,” he 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, its team of medical experts and the private sector community for continuously working with local government units (LGUs) like us in addressing this COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.

Belmonte highlighted the importance of this donation as they can easily and quickly acquire the test results, especially since the city has recorded the most number of infections in Metro Manila.

ARK project lead Josephine Romero commended Wilcon Depot for responding to the call for PCR equipment donations. Wilcon Depot is a long-time partner and supporter of Go Negosyo on its different flagship programs.

Wilcon Depot president Lorraine Cincochan, who was present during the turnover, lauded PCMC executive director Dr. Julius Lecciones for the hospital’s willingness to be a partner in 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 National Task Force COVID-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. 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 an additional 12,000 daily testing capacity.

These were all made possible through Garin’s help. 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 the National Capital Region 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 will serve as the basis for the decisions by LGU leaders with regard to lockdowns,” Concepcion said.