Bulacan inaugurates new Covid-19 testing lab

A new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) testing facility, the Joni Villanueva Molecular Laboratory (JVML), has been inaugurated in Bocaue, Bulacan, through public and private sector collaboration.

Senator Joel Villanueva led the inauguration of the facility, which is named in honor of his late sister, former Bocaue Mayor Joni Villanueva.

The JVML is situated within the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Hospital extension compound and is equipped with state-of-the-art machinery for Covid-19 testing.

The PHP60-million facility can initially test up to 1,500 patients daily, with the capacity to scale up to 5,000 tests per day, and testing will be available for as low as PHP2,000 per kit.

The laboratory will be managed by the private sector's Marilao Medical and Diagnostic Hospital and is set to begin operations the following Wednesday.

Governor Daniel Fernando acknowledged the late Mayor Joni Villanueva's dedication to establishing the testing center and serving the community, even while facing health challenges during the quarantine period.