Pasig barangay subjects own front-liners to Covid-19 mass testing

FREE RAPID TESTING. Barangay San Antonio Chairman Raymond Lising leads the conduct free Covid-19 rapid testing to some 250 village front-liners and employees to ensure their safety and protection as well as the residents of the community they are bound to serve. Metro Manila and other areas shift to more relaxed general community quarantine on Monday (June 1). (Photo courtesy of Barangay San Antonio via PNA)

MANILA – More than 250 barangay front-liners in Pasig City have started undergoing free coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) testing in preparation for its transition from modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) to general community quarantine (GCQ) on Monday.

The “mass testing” of barangay workers was conducted at the village hall of Barangay San Antonio, Pasig led by chairman Raymond Lising.

Lising said the initiative aims not only to ensure the welfare of the front-liners and their families but also to stop the transmission of the dreaded Covid-19.

“Conducting this Covid-19 testing is very crucial. Our front-liners are the ones very exposed as we continue to serve the people during these pandemic to ensure that they are safe and healthy in their homes,” he said adding they have been busy serving the barangay residents since day 1 of the community quarantine.

He said those who will be found positive from the rapid testing will again be subjected to the confirmatory polymerase chain reaction (PCR) swab test.

“Giving a person supportive treatment is very important. We can only do that once we detect once he/she gets tested,” he said.

Lising added “those na magpa-positive (will be tested positive) will be automatically subjected to the PCR test of the city government na (that is) privately commissioned.”

On Friday, a total of 103 medical front-liners underwent rapid testing as they are the first batch of the barangay’s 253 front-liners and regular employees, Lising said.

The first batch comprised of personnel from Emergency Management Service, fire department, rescue, VAWC (violence against women and children), Command Center, SK (sangguniang kabataan) officials and other village personnel.

On June 3, the second batch of front-liners composed of garbage collectors, personnel from utility department, in-house security, driver, street sweepers, engineering department, security department and traffic department are set to undergo the rapid testing.

In the coming days, Lising said they are eyeing to test around 50 additional personnel who will be part of the third batch of the barangay.

“(This is) initiative and efforts ito ng (of) Barangay San Antonio as part of massive testing for our front-liners.”

Lising explained the mass testing is free and shouldered by Barangay San Antonio for the first 103 employees who underwent tests. The barangay will also bear the cost of the rapid test for the third batch with a total of 50 employees.

“Our barangay really allotted the fund for this mass testing. We protect our residents by ensuring our front-liners, the people serving them at the barangay, are Covid-free,” he said.

Meanwhile, the remaining 100 personnel will use the test kits provided by the Pasig City government to Barangay San Antonio.

Lising said a privately commissioned company accredited by the Department of Health supervised the rapid test conducted at the barangay health center. (PR)