MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Saturday said it will speed up preparations and construction of its second COVID-19 testing center, which it eyes to build in Cebu City.
PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa said he ordered the PNP Command Group and other concerned PNP Directorial Staff under Police Lt. Gen. Camilo Cascolan, PNP deputy chief for administration, to fast track the process for the second testing center to ramp up testing for police frontliners in the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Capacity-building measures such as having our own testing laboratories will ensure that our police frontliners are tested and that we get the results fast,” Gamboa said in a statement.
In the same statement, PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said the police force is still seeking approval from the Department of Health (DOH) on the site for the laboratory. He added that they are planning to construct the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction testing facility at Camp Sotero Cabahug, the Cebu City Police Office.
To date, PNP said 483 policemen have contracted COVID-19. Of the number, 225 were from Metro Manila while 112 were from Central Visayas.
Its first COVID-19 testing facility is at the PNP Crime Laboratory in Camp Crame, the PNP Headquarters located in Quezon City.