Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship, Sec. Joey Concepcion. (Screenshot from Laging Handa briefing)
MANILA – The private sector-led Project ARK (Antibody Rapid Test Kit) targets to provide reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing among workers in the construction and manufacturing sectors as well as returning overseas Filipinos.
In a Laging Handa public briefing Friday, Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion said Project Ark is already doing the research on pooled testing, and preliminary results of the research will come out in the next two weeks.
He said their research team is doing five, 10, and 20 samples per kit to determine which pooled testing is more accurate.
Concepcion said the pooled testing will be a game-changer in testing activities in the country as it can test more people at a lower cost while using the gold standard in coronavirus disease (Covid-19) testing.
“We have to bring back the confidence to the Filipino people that we are in control of the health situation,” Concepcion said.
He added that it is expected that the number of cases will increase while the country is expanding its testing capacity.
“We will know and identify where the problem is, then isolate, trace, and control the infection. Without testing we will not be able to control the health situation in the country,” he said.
On top of the RT-PCR testing that the government is doing, the private sector – through the Project ARK – has spent around PHP400 million to PHP500 million for 1.3 million rapid test kits (RTKs) to test the employees of 350 companies.
The Project ARK also partnered with 70 local government units in the country for Covid-19 testing using RTKs, Concepcion said. (PNA)
