NEGROS ORIENTAL, Sept. 14 (PIA) -- Energy Development Corporation (EDC) is taking a huge step to help Negros Oriental put up its own COVID-19 testing facility by donating around P8.5-M worth of equipment, including two state-of-the-art Real-Time Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT–PCR) machines.
The facility aims to implement mass testing for COVID-19 as soon as the machines will be accredited by the Department of Health (DOH).
The machines also intend to gather all the necessary scientific information in order to help flatten the curve of the disease and manage the pandemic in the province.
A virtual ceremonial signing was held Tuesday of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and Deed of Donation led by Deputy Chief Implementer of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF–EID) against COVID-19, Secretary Vivencio “Vince” Dizon.
Recalling his experience in Ormoc City where EDC previously donated a similar equipment, Dizon expressed his deep appreciation for the generosity of the EDC.
“We will be visiting Negros Oriental to make sure that the national government will provide all the necessities,” he said.
Provincial officials led by Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo together with Vice Gov. Edward Mark Macias, Provincial Board Member Jack Raymond, and Municipality of Valencia Mayor Edgar Teves received the donated machines from EDC President and Chief Operating Officer Richard Tantoco, Vice President and Chief Finance Officer Erwin Avante, Vice President and Head of EDC’s Facility Operations Engr. Emeterio Busmeon, Assistant Vice President and Corporate Support Functions Head Regina Victoria Pascual, Corporate Social Responsibility and Public Relations Head Atty. Allan Barcena, and Negros Corporate Social Responsibility Head Norreen Bautista.
The event was also joined by Hospital Incident Command System Commander and Chair of IATF–EID Committee on Health Dr. Liland Estacion, Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital (NOPH) Head Dr. Mark Angelo Llosa, and NOPH Molecular Laboratory Head Dr. Nikko Paolo Cablao whose respective organizations have partnered to establish the province’s first Negros Oriental Molecular Diagnostic Center.
“Today marks another milestone as we hold our ceremonial MOA signing via Zoom for the first time with our Negros stakeholders,” said Atty. Barcena, whose CSR–PR team spearheads the fulfillment of EDC’s commitment to this project.
“Our almost 40-year partnership with Negros Oriental proves that this initiative is part of our commitment to work together even if we are apart to help the province thrive and not just survive this COVID-19 pandemic," added Barcena.
For his part, Degamo said “with this laudable offer from EDC, from the bottom of my heart, and I am speaking on behalf of the people of Negros Oriental, thank you so much EDC.”
Valencia town has been home to EDC’s 222.5-megawatt (MW) geothermal facility, the company’s second biggest facility and a model for compact development and greening, for almost 40 years.
The facility has been supplying clean, renewable and uninterrupted geothermal energy to Negros Island and the rest of the Visayas region amid the pandemic.
EDC’s donation is a critical component of the project considering that RT–PCR is the gold standard in testing used to detect SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19.
“We knew that all our efforts will be futile if the province won’t be able to manage the transmission of COVID-19. Negros Oriental had to have its testing facility and the sooner it happens, the sooner the provincial government can do it,” Tantoco said in his speech.
It is said the equipment will significantly improve the process of mass testing in the province.
For now, swab tests are delivered to the Vicente Memorial Medical Center in Cebu with results taking from three to four days to be released.
The two RT–PCR machines that EDC has donated to NOPH will be able to process up to 500 swab tests in one day and release the results in one to two days.
“This is just the first of many steps that we are willing to undertake for the province and for the municipality of Valencia,” Tantoco added.
The provincial government shall provide the necessary supervision, technical support, as well as fixtures, furniture and facilities for the Molecular Testing Laboratory.
Meanwhile, NOPH shall operate and manage the facility, and provide the appropriate staff who are proficient in Molecular Diagnostic Techniques, as provided by the guidelines issued by the DOH.
It will ensure that the laboratory shall only use Food and Drug Authority (FDA) registered testing kits, reagents and devices, and that RT-PCR machine and all other equipment in the Molecular Testing Laboratory are properly maintained. (jct/PIA7 Negros Oriental with reports from Corporate Communications Officer France Ariola of EDC)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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