PH GENOME CENTER (FILE PHOTO) 

The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday announced the construction of a genome centers in Visayas and Mindanao amounting to P295.7-million capable of detecting COVID-19 variants affecting the region.

DOH spokesperson Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the expansion project will help sequence more COVID-19 samples from Visayas and Mindanao, which our regional offices are having a hard  due to logistical challenges in sending samples in Manila. 

The University of the Philippines’ Philippine Genome Center is the only lab currently capable of genome sequencing for virus variant detection and can only sequence 750 samples per week.

“By strengthening the country’s biosurveillance capacity, we hope to prevent future outbreaks of diseases in the Philippines,” Vergeire added

The Philippines needs to “strengthen the country’s capabilities in emerging technologies which include GNR- Genomics, Nanotechnology and Robotics – which will bring about country readiness in frontier technologies,” said Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña.

Earlier, the DOH said the more contagious Delta variant has been detected in all regions except the Bangsamoro as officials are having a hard time collecting samples from the area.

The DOH has yet to announce when the genome centers in Visayas and Mindanao would be ready.

The Philippines is currently grappling with another surge in COVID-19 infections, reaching new record highs this month with the spread of the Delta variant.