Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko" Domagoso on Monday appealed for donations to the city government to sustain the operations of the city's free COVID-19 walk-in and drive-thru testing centers.
More than 1,500 persons have been tested in the city's drive-thru testing centers, Domagoso said.
Donations to the city government will be used to buy more reagents needed to test more blood samples taken from patients, he said.
The city's testing areas are open for both Manila City residents and non-residents, as the city is promoting an inclusive approach in battling the coronavirus pandemic.
"I want every Manileño to be good people to others, like how Manila is trying to be a good neighbor to other cities," Domagoso said. “Let’s embrace as many as we can (for testing). We cannot survive alone. We will get through this challenge.”
Currently, the Quirino Grandstand drive-thru area has a capacity of 700 tests a day, while the Lawton drive-thru area can do 200 tests a day. They operate from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., the mayor said.
On Monday, the City government also opened its first walk-in testing center at the Ospital ng Sampaloc.
Like the drive-thru testing sites, the walk-in testing center is also open to both residents and non- residents of Manila.
Results from the COVID-19 tests taken at these facilities are released within 24 hours by the Manila Health Department (MHD) through SMS or text messaging.
Certification of the results are personally delivered to the homes of Manila City residents, while certification for non-residents may be picked up at the Releasing Lane at the Quirino Grandstand testing site.
The drive-thru facilities have been attracting people even from outside Manila since it started operations last week.
"As of today, since Wednesday, including both… because last Saturday due to the overwhelming demand, we opened another one in Quirino, we had already tested about 1,576 individuals," Domagoso said in an interview on Unang Hirit.
Domagoso said of that total number, 1,048 are Manila residents, while 528 cane from other cities and municipalities.
As for the results, Domagoso said 174 tests were positive, while 1,326 were negative.
Both drive-thru centers offer a rapid test using blood instead of a nasal swab sample, the mayor said.
The Manila Health Department (MHD) said the city government received approval from National Parks Development Committee (NPDC) executive director Cecille Lorenzana-Romero, within 48 hours after the first drive-thru COVID-19 facility, to establish the new testing site at the Quirino Grandstand.
The NPDC manages the Rizal Park where Quirino Grandstand is located.
The launching was led by Domagoso and attended by Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna Pangan and Acting City Health Officer Dr. Arnold Pangan.
Domagoso said they designated lanes for cars, tricycles, pedicabs, motorcycles and non-motorized vehicles at the Quirino Grandstand.
Six lanes were opened for four-wheel vehicles, tricycles, pedicabs, motorcycles and bikes.