Manila to launch 2nd Covid-19 drive-thru test center

This came as Domagoso received complaints about the traffic congestion caused by the drive-thru testing center in front of the Kartilya ng Katipunan in Lawton. (File photo: Manila Public Information Office/Facebook)

MANILA – The city government of Manila is eyeing the Quirino Grandstand as the location of its second coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) drive-thru testing center, after its first testing center in Lawton became a “blockbuster” among citizens.

Manila Mayor Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso, in his regular Covid-19 update on Thursday, asked to be given 48 hours to set up a “bigger, better, more efficient and more convenient” second drive-thru testing center.

This came as Domagoso received complaints about the traffic congestion caused by the drive-thru testing center in front of the Kartilya ng Katipunan in Lawton.

“Para maibsan pangamba nyo sa traffic kaysa sa Covid-19, pipilitin pa rin naming magbuti (To ease your worries over traffic instead of Covid-19, we will try to improve it),” he said. “Kung kayo ay naperwisyo namin sa traffic sa Lawton, ako na po ang humihingi ng paumanhin sa inyo (If we caused you problems in Lawton, I apologize)”

Domagoso said on the second day of the operation of the drive-thru testing center, he immediately called for an emergency meeting for assessment.

Right after the meeting, the team went to the Quirino Grandstand after he received a positive response from Director Cecil Romero of the National Parks Development Committee.

Domagoso said he could have six lanes in Luneta, which he targets to launch on Monday.

“Itong Grandstand, kaya nating mag-test ng 700 maximum sa drive-thru. Mapaghihiwalay natin yung tatlong gulong, dalawang gulong, motorized and non-motorized sa apat na gulong (At the Quirino Grandstand, we can test a maximum of 700. We can separate the three-wheelers from the two-wheelers, motorized and non-motorized),” he said.

Out of a total of 235 individuals who availed of testing at the Lawton facility on Wednesday, 204 tested negative while 31 were found positive of Covid-19.

On Thursday, 489 were tested mainly from Manila and other neighboring cities but some drove from Bulacan and Cavite.

He added that those who may want to give donations to put them in an envelope and hand them over to personnel at the testing center who will turn them over to the city government.