MABALACAT CITY — Mayor Crisostomo Garbo has announced the localized mass testing for suspected persons afflicted with Covid-19 in this city in an interview with CNN on Tuesday.
During the interview, Garbo said the target is to conduct 100 to 200 tests per day as this city has a total of 804 recorded PUMs and 607 have already completed the required mandatory quarantine.
“We will be starting it next week in order to cope up dito sa ating mga PUMs and PUIs. We’re hoping to initiate the mass testing at least 100 to 200 per day of testing,” said Garbo.
According to Garbo, to help speed up the process in acquiring results, the mass testing center is also being set up at The Medical City Clark since Central Luzon currently has one testing center at the JBL Memorial Hospital.
During the said interview, Garbo also clarified that the cash assistance from the national government is only allotted to 30,450 families. He said according to the national housing targeting system, the city has more than 57,000 beneficiaries but the city government will try to extend the assistance for the remaining 27,000 families to help all its constituents.
“Our target beneficiaries dapat dito sa atin talaan ay 57,000 plus but the national government alotted 30,450 so we have a difference of 27,000 families na dapat punuan,” said Garbo.
“We are trying our best on our own budget pupunuan po natin yon. At least kahit paano may matatanggap po ang 27,000 families na hindi mabibigyan,” added Garbo.
To date, Mabalacat has two confirmed Covid-19 cases residing in barangays Mabiga and Sta. Ines. The city currently has 12 PUIs and 197 PUMs undergoing the mandatory 14-day quarantine.
Mabalacat City has 265,000 population with 27 barangays.
(Contributed photo)
