Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 14) — San Miguel Corporation is ramping up its efforts in the country’s fight against the deadly novel coronavirus.
The diversified conglomerate donated 10 swabbing booths and 2,000 test kits to the Mandaluyong City government Wednesday morning.
The company said the donations will help the city government further expand testing on its barangays.
“Our aim is to help flatten the curve in our less fortunate barangays, especially in areas where there have been outbreaks,” SMC President and COO Ramon Ang said in a statement. “Our less-fortunate countrymen are really vulnerable, because their living conditions make it harder to observe social distancing and other preventive measures. So we want to focus our efforts on helping them.”
Mandaluyong City Mayor Menchie Abalos said she is more than grateful for SMC’s assistance in these trying times.
As of Wednesday evening, Mandaluyong City had 515 confirmed cases, 314 of which were still active, while 45 have died due to COVID-19.
“Puwede namin ‘yang ikalat sa iba-iba naming mga barangay na puwede naming paglalagyan ng swabbing [centers],” Abalos told reporters in an interview.
More testing equipment coming up
SMC is also donating additional sets of testing equipment to the National Center for Mental Health which is also located in the city.
The donations include machines for Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) and automated RNA extraction.
RT-PCR tests, considered the “gold standard” by health experts, are used in confirmatory testing for the coronavirus.
With the RT-PCR tests, trained professionals test swabs of samples taken from the nose and throat to find out whether a person has coronavirus.
When a repeat test yields a negative result, the patient can be allowed to go home.
“There are many people and sectors in need of help today. We will make sure they are not overlooked or neglected,” Ang added.
SMC’s COVID assistance reach ₱13 billion
SMC has already shelled out over ₱13 billion to help the government, employees, frontliners and communities hardest hit by the pandemic.
Majority of these were in the form of tax payments, continued salary of employees, and spending for relief packages.
Ang also donated from his own pocket ₱100 million to the government’s efforts to contain the spread of the deadly virus.
The company said it is committed to initiate new projects to further support the country’s battle against the virus.
