Iloilo City Hall eyes own testing lab

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

The Iloilo City Government will establish up its own testing lab to combat the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In a press statement, Mayor Jerry P. Treñas said they are looking at procuring a 40-footer container van equipped with complete testing facilities which will cost around P15 million.

The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) will also help train medical technologists.

“This will be used as our own testing center,” Treñas said.

There are also plans to develop the facilities and capabilities of West Visayas State University Medical Center which is being checked by RITM as a possible COVID-19 test center.

The City Council on April 21, 2020 green-lighted the utilization of P94,641,934 through Appropriation Ordinance No. 2020-004.

The ordinance approved the special account in the general fund under the Bayanihan Grant to Cities and Municipalities (BGCM) Supplemental Budget No. 3 for the fiscal year 2020.

The appropriations include P34 million for drugs and medicines; P27,891,934 for medical equipment; P18,750,000 for welfare goods; P9M for other machinery and equipment; and P5M for rapid deployment module for temporary COVID-19 shelters.

The press statement said that the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO) has received P94M in Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) funds to COVID-19 response.

The CTO said the BGCM is equivalent to one-month IRA share of the city.

Department of Budget and Management (DBM) guidelines saidd the grant boosts capacity in immediately responding to COVID-19 emergency.

The money shall be exclusively used for COVID-19 related Programs, Projects and Activities (PPAs) and expenses. These include procurement of equipment, reagents, and kits for testing; expenses for the operation of stand-alone/mobile testing laboratory; and training of personnel in the conduct of COVID-19 testing.

It also covers procurement of medicines and vitamins; hospital equipment and supplies; disinfectants, sprayers, disinfection tents and other disinfecting supplies and misting equipment; and food assistance and other relief goods for affected households; among others. (With a report from Iloilo City PIO)