Since inventing the first local COVID-19 test kit way back in early 2020, Dr Raul Destura has been responsible for the invaluable testing of hundreds of thousands of Filipinos, to date. Called the GenAmplify Covid-19 RT-PCR Detection Kit, it is manufactured by The Manila Healthtek Inc, which Destura heads, and which prioritises low-cost, low-technology driven diagnostic kits for infectious diseases. The first health biotech company in the Philippines has also provided over 170 new jobs as well as develop an additional 50 new diagnostic technologies, providing work opportunities to Filipino young scientists in the Philippines. All these biological breakthroughs under the leadership of Destura have made the fight against infectious diseases easier.

Recently, Manila Healthtek launched the African Swine Fever RT-PCR detection in response to the country’s diagnostic need for the ongoing ASF epidemic in the country.

For his works, Destura was recognised among the top 100 Asian Scientists by the prestigious magazine, Asian Scientist, in 2020.