Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 28) — San Miguel Corporation said it is donating five sets of testing machines to the government in hopes that they would significantly increase the country’s COVID-19 testing capacity.
The business conglomerate claimed that with its donation of Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction machines and automated RNA extraction systems, the government will be able to conduct 11,000 more tests per day. The country’s accredited laboratories currently do 4,500 tests daily.
“SMC’s donation is seen to help significantly boost government capacity to determine extent, and contain transmission, of the virus before quarantine is lifted on May 15,” said SMC in a statement.
One set has two RT-PCR equipment — the gold standard for detecting coronavirus — and one automated RNA machine, SMC said. The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa will receive two sets while the rest will be sent to San Lazaro Hospital in Manila, Vicente Sotto Medical Center in Cebu and Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao.
The company is also giving test kits which can be used to administer 20,000 tests.
This recent effort by SMC comes on top of its ₱1.147-billion worth of food, ethyl alcohol, fuel, protective gear and free toll donation to residents affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
