BOCAUE, Bulacan — Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) medical team is set to manage the Mega Swabbing Center at Philippine Arena complex.
The facility has 6 tents and 96 testing booths. BFP will be assisted by 400 volunteers from various government agencies.
National Action Plan Against COVID-19 Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said the Philippine Arena Mega Swabbing Center will be operational in the coming days. It can conduct 1,500 tests per day.
“It will soon be ready to serve residents of Bulacan and north of Metro Manila,” he added.
Galvez inspected the facility Wednesday with Senator Manny Pacquiao, National Action Plan Against COVID-19 Deputy Chief Implementer Vince Dizon, Maligaya Development Corporation Chief Operating Officer Glicerio Santos IV, Office of Civil Defense Administrator Ricardo Jalad and Bureau of Fire Protection Chief Jose Embang Jr.
“The Philippine Arena complex is a model of how we set up the end-to-end infrastructure of Test, Trace, and Treat strategy. We have here almost everything except for molecular polymerase chain reaction (PCR) laboratory but we will set-up a modular laboratory in the coming weeks,” Dizon said.
Government officials expressed gratitude to the Iglesia Ni Cristo community and the private sector in putting up the needed health infrastructure and utility services at the Philippine Arena complex.
Among those who helped include Century Properties Group, Ayala Corporation, Metro Pacific Investments Corporation, and Stage Craft International.
Aside from Philippine Arena complex, there are similar Mega Swabbing Centers located at Palacio de Maynila along Roxas Boulevard, Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, and Enderun Tent in Taguig City.
The collected specimens in all four facilities will be processed at the Philippine Red Cross laboratories.