PRC opens new bio-molecular lab in Clark to boost COVID-19 testing

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) has inaugurated a new bio-molecular laboratory in Clark, significantly boosting its COVID-19 testing capacity.

This new laboratory is equipped with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machines capable of processing 2,000 samples daily.

With the addition of the Clark lab and its Subic counterpart, the PRC's total daily testing capacity will reach 16,000 samples.

Senator Richard J. Gordon, PRC Chairman and CEO, emphasized the critical need for increased testing to quickly identify and isolate infected individuals, thereby preventing further transmission.

The Clark laboratory passed the proficiency test and received accreditation from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).

The PRC also operates molecular laboratories at its national headquarters in EDSA and has a running laboratory in Port Area, Manila.

Additional testing centers are set to open soon in various locations across the country, including Batangas, Laguna, Mandaue City, Isabela, Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga City, and Bacolod City.

The PRC has plans to further enhance its testing capabilities by adding 10 more PCR machines in Manila, aiming for a total daily testing output of 46,000.