MANILA, Philippines – More soldiers are heading to the front lines of the battle against the novel coronavirus, this time as non-medical support staff at one of the government's "mega swabbing centers."

On Wednesday, May 6, the government opened a swab test center at Enderun Colleges in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. It is one of 4 "mega swabbing centers" to be set up in the Greater Manila Area to increase the country's capability to test people for COVID-19.

The testing center at Enderun will be managed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), said Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana after inspecting the facility with Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, coronavirus policy chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr, and testing chief Vince Dizon.

An initial contingent of 64 soldiers will work as encoders and bar coders of samples to be taken by medical technologists at the facility. Lorenzana said more soldiers will join them soon. All military personnel drafted for the testing effort will be trained beforehand.

With the country's healthcare industry stretched thin, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea has called on all agencies to lend their workforce to efforts to care for patients and fight the pandemic, the defense chief added.

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As published on rappler.com.