PNP eyes opening second testing facility inside Camp Crame

July 27, 2020

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said they are eyeing the opening of their second RT/PCR facility for COVID-19 inside Camp Crame as part of their effort in preventing the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) among cops.

In a press briefing, PNP chief  General Archie Gamboa said he gave the go-signal for a second testing center which will increase their testing capacity to 450-600 persons per day.

"I already gave a go-signal that we will be facilitating the opening up our second RT-PCR center in Crame. So hopefully if the second RT-PCR will push through, it would increase our capacity to test from 300 to 450 and if the second PCR automates, maybe we can do 600 per day," Gamboa said.

"That's good enough to address the needs of the PNP personnel and their dependents," he added.

Gamboa said the building and machine are in place and they are just training personnel who will handle the second testing facility.

“And then of course before the end of August maybe we can open (the facility) in Cebu and then  hopefully before I retire, we will open up one also in Davao,” Gamboa added.

The PNP’s first testing facility was launched in May due to the increasing number of cops getting infected by the virus.

As of July 26, the PNP has recorded 2,008 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Gamboa said  most of the cases came from Central Luzon, Central Visayas and Calabarzon, including the National Police Training Institute (NPTI) which had a total of 183 infections.

“Generally, more cases in Lucena but we admit there are infections in Region III (Central Luzon) and Region VII ( Central Visayas) and then Region IV-A ( Calabarzon), but the case in Lucena is different, out of 350, 183 in just a period of 10 days," he said.

"So I just want to rule out that the infection in Lucena is isolated and it is not happening in Region III, Region VII and in Calamba where there is a training facility,” he added.

To address the problem, Gamboa said those who are infected were already isolated.

“The Internal Affairs Service has already findings. First they are living in a tent where eight persons are staying since its summer training… so probably that is the first mistake that’s why we reduced it to four. Second, they found out that the (trainees) food is buffet-style so now they served (the food) individually,” he said.

Gamboa said once the trainees recovered, they will return back to their normal training.

“As much as possible there will be no more other people, especially the instructors going in to teach. We arrange Zoom (classes),” Gamboa said.

“Those who are non- infected can actually still pursue their training,” he said.

Gamboa said NPTI is adjusting to required quarantine protocols within the training center.  Ella Dionisio/DMS