DOT eyes subsidizing half of cost of COVID-19 tests for tourists

Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo Puyat at the PDI office in Makati City. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / LEO M .SABANGAN II

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Tourism (DOT) is eyeing to subsidize half of the cost of travelers’ COVID-19 tests, which are mandated before entry to a local tourist destination.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat on Tuesday said the DOT will be tying up with the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), which she noted offers reverse transmission – polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) COVID-19 testing at only P1,900.

“The President already instructed the DOH (Department of Health) and the DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) to put a price cap but having said that we also have, we are going to have a tie up with the UP-PGH. They are only charging 1,900 for the RT PCR and the results come out in 24 hours,” Puyat said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel.

“Then we are looking at how to probably make travel vouchers. Because mura na nga yung P1,900 but then gusto pa namin mas affordable so we’re looking at making it parang subsidizing 50 percent of the RT PCR in UP-PGH,” she added.

With the easing of restrictions, some tourist destinations in the country have opened to domestic travelers.

“Today Coron, Palawan is opening and Siargao. Finally. They’ve already been under modified GCQ (general community quarantine) for quite some time. The LGUs were hesitant to open,” the DOT chief said.

“So, it’s really up to the LGU if they’re going to open or not. So we’re quite happy that they finally decided [to open],” she added.

JPV