ILOILO City – Mayor Jerry Treñas wants to put up a dedicated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing laboratory at the Iloilo Airport in Cabatuan, Iloilo.
“It’s not just a machine. It’s a one-stop-shop, which will include all the machineries: PCR machine, RNA extraction machine, and the laboratory,” Treñas said in press briefing yesterday.
Health authorities recommend reverse transcription-PCR tests as the “gold standard.” This is done by taking nasal and throat swabs, so the sample can be sent to the laboratory to detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 and measure its viral load.
Treñas revealed that he texted Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., chief implementer of the National Task Force on COVID-19, about the plan.
“Sabat niya, yes sir,” the mayor said, adding Galvez intends to tell the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to set up a ‘one-stop-shop’ with a laboratory just like in Cebu airport.
If the proposal pushes through, Treñas said the city government would help provide staffing for its operation.
“I will talk to airport management regarding its staffing. If needed, we are ready to help out,” Treñas added.
The COVID-19 lab at the airport would be a great help in releasing the test results at the earliest possible time, the mayor pointed out.
Commercial flights remained suspended at the Iloilo Airport. However, sweeper flights arranged by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration still fly returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
Cargo flights have also been operating since community quarantine measures were implemented in March.
Last week, Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority began operations of an airport-dedicated COVID-19 PCR testing laboratory.
The facility, which can process at least 1,500 to 3,000 RT-PCR tests per day, is the first of its kind in the Philippines./PN
