Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 3) – The private sector, through Project Antibody Rapid Test Kits, otherwise known as Project ARK, has raised at least one million rapid tests to boost COVID-19 testing among employees and barangays.
“This is very crucial at this point in time,” Concepcion said in a media briefing on Sunday. “The greatest task really now is to continue to run the economy, and the only way we can run the economy is to have visibility.”
Project ARK partnered with the City of Manila to implement the pilot run in the districts of Sampaloc and Tondo, which has so far benefited over 2,000 residents.
READ: Over 1,000 more Tondo residents tested for COVID-19
Project ARK is currently exploring partnerships with other local governments, among them Makati City, Antipolo, Quezon City, Pasig City and Batangas.
“Yung Makati and Antipolo, nagpe-prepare na sila. The target date for initiating testing in these areas is this coming week,” Project ARK Barangay Pilot Leader Ginggay Hontiveros-Malvar said.
“Hopefully, within the next couple of weeks, magu-umpisa na rin ang testing sa ibang areas,” she added.
[Translation: Hopefully, within the next couple of weeks, testing will begin in other areas.]
“Kung ila-lockdown natin, baka pwede natin i-ECQ ang isang city. At least, matutuloy ang ekonomiya sa isang lugar. Focused approach tayo moving forward,” Concepcion said.
[Translation: If we lockdown, then maybe we can implement ECQ in a city. At least we can get the economy started in one place. Let’s use a focused approach moving forward.]
Concepcion has long pushed for selective, localized quarantine measures, saying that lockdowns should first be implemented in the barangay level.
Meanwhile, the remaining rapid testing kits, about 800,000, will be used by participating companies to test their employees for COVID-19, Concepcion said.
But he clarified that testing will not stop here.
“Testing has to continue indefinitely until we find a cure for that virus, and hopefully, they will understand the importance of supporting the LGUs around them,” Concepcion said.
Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion said that about 200,000 rapid test kits will be given to partner local governments to boost COVID-19 testing at the barangay level.
When asked for an assessment of the enhanced community quarantine taking place in Metro Manila, Concepcion said he believed it was enough, saying much has been done to bring down the level of infection.
