Go Negosyo donates COVID testing machines to Pampanga

MANILA, Philippines — Pampanga has received antibody rapid test kit-polymerase chain reaction (ARK-PCR) and nucleic acid extraction machines donated by Go Negosyo in partnership with Global Aseana Development Corp.

Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion and ARK-PCR private sector head Iloilo first district Rep. Jannette Garin led the ceremonial turnover of the equipment and machines to Pampanga Gov. Dennis Pineda at the Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital in San Fernando City on Wednesday.

“Malaking bagay po para sa amin dito sa probinsiya ng Pampanga na madagdagan ang testing capacity ng ospital na magca-cater po sa mga Kapampangan, kaya mula sa aming lahat, maraming salamat po,” Pineda said.

He said Pampanga is more confident in resuming its economic activity because of the added PCR swab testing capacity.

“The current capacity of JB Lingad Hospital is 1,500, catering to people from Central Luzon. Through this donation, the tests can ramp up to 3,000 per day,” Garin said.

Concepcion said they are eyeing an increase in the PCR capacity on a daily basis.

”All of these efforts pool together will be a big help. Hopefully, by the end of June, we will be hitting close to 50,000 tests combining the efforts of the government, Philippine Red Cross and us in the private sector,” Concepcion said.

Project ARK–PCR is an initiative led by Concepcion that bands together the biggest economic players and business conglomerates in the country to ramp up both rapid and PCR testing for coronavirus disease 2019 in the country.

The initiative is seen to generate an additional 24,000 tests per day by the end of June to complement the government’s testing capacity.

Twelve laboratories in various health facilities have been automated through the project.