Cavite to soon open ‘biggest COVID-19 testing lab in the country’

MANILA, Philippines — The province of Cavite may soon be able to conduct around 10,000 COVID-19 tests a day with the upcoming opening of a testing laboratory that can facilitate 3,000 tests daily, Gov. Jonvic Remulla said on Thursday.

“In Cavite, we are doing our best: The biggest testing laboratory in the country is about to open at DLSU (Dela Salle University) Dasmariñas: 3,000 tests a day, 7 days a week,” he said in a Facebook post.

Once the laboratory at the university opens to the public, this will bring Cavite’s testing capacity to 10,000 tests per day, Remulla said in a text message to INQUIRER.net.

Remulla said Cavite is building two more laboratories for COVID-19 testing.

Sought for confirmation if the Cavite laboratory would indeed be the biggest laboratory by capacity, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told INQUIRER.net that laboratories at the Philippine Red Cross can process at least 5,000 tests a day.

In his Facebook post, Remulla lamented what he said were confusing policies of the government in dealing with the pandemic.

“Maraming magulo at walang kabuluhan na patakaran (backride parachute). Parami nang parami ang napipikon habang ang iba naman ay patuloy na umaasa at naghihintay sa susunod na ayuda,” he said.

(There are a lot of confusing and nonsense policies (backside parachute). The number of people being irked is increasing while others continue to hope and wait for relief.)

Aside from augmenting Cavite’s testing capacity, Remulla also said the provincial government will launch an educational plan to help his constituents shift to bended learning in consonance with the directive of the Department of Education to prepare for such in the coming school year.

“We are launching an educational plan in 10 days. Clue: #FreeWiFiForCavite,” said the governor.

He also revealed that Cavite will implement a provincial identification system for effective administration of the COVID-19 vaccine once it is available.

He said that the government should be ready to respond to specific concerns once the vaccine becomes ready for use.

“How do we administer 220,000,000 doses (2 shots per person x 110 million Filipinos)? How do we do it without creating the least amount of panic and hysteria? Who gets it FIRST and how do people get it quickly enough?” asked the governor.

“How do we apply the lessons learned from the challenges we encountered during the SAP distribution and avoid the same mistakes when it comes to the availment and administration of the vaccine?” he also asked.

He noted that “if our minds are full in the containment strategy, then our best minds should have the foresight and prepare for the arrival of the vaccine.”

“The good news is we are now crafting a proactive and viable plan for Cavite,” Remulla added.