Hundreds of health care workers and law enforcers were tested for COVID-19 on Sunday, May 24, with all four mega swabbing facilities already operational.
Swabbing facilities were put up by the government in collaboration with the private sector as part of the “Test, Trace, Treat” strategy or T3, which aims to expand the country’s daily testing capacity for COVID-19.
The biggest swabbing center is at the Philippine Sports Stadium in Bulacan with 96 testing booths. The Mall of Asia Arena has 72 testing booths; Palacio de Maynila along Roxas Boulevard, 65 booths; and the Enderun Tent in Taguig has 54 booths.
All four swabbing facilities can conduct up to 5,000 tests per day.
“These swabbing centers allow the government to conduct quickly and more efficiently its expanded targeted testing to contain the spread of COVID-19,” says Vince Dizon, T3 czar and deputy chief implementer of the National Action Plan Against COVID-19.
Dizon is also President and CEO of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).
Dizon earlier said the government targets to reach a daily testing capacity of 30,000 by the end of the month.