The local government unit (LGU) of Manila continues to provide “accessible, efficient and free for all” COVID-19 testing as it realigns its budget and introduces two more testing centers to the public.

The city’s public information office announced on July 27 that it has dispatched two mobile serology testing clinics to Barangay 97 in Tondo and Barangay 836 in Pandacan to conduct free mass testing.

Each truck can conduct up to 100 blood samples per day through serology machines. It is also manned by members of the city’s health department and barangay bureau and disaster risk reduction teams who are conducting the tests.

Utilizing its mobility feature, the testing centers will be brought to two different barangays in the city each day. According to Mayor Isko Moreno, Manila’s disaster risk reduction management office will also set up tents by the trucks to serve as temporary testing facilities.

This afternoon, Moreno also signed the city’s Ordinance No. 8657, which realigns its P40 million budget as a further push for “accessible, efficient and free for all” testing.

“Bibili pa tayo ng karagdagang medical equipment at medical supplies upang palakasin ang pagtugon ng ating health sector sa pangamba ng ating mga kababayan sa pandemyang ito,” stated Moreno.

Previously, the Manila City LGU had set up two drive-thru testing centers at Quirino Grandstand and near the Andres Bonifacio Shrine, as well as two walk-in facilities at the Ospital ng Sampaloc and the recently-opened Gat. Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center in Tondo.

Header photo courtesy of Manila Public Information Office

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