Byahe na! Free COVID-19 test for local tourists starting Nov 1 – Berna Puyat

More fun awaits in the Philippines.

Tourists can now avail of free coronavirus tests prior to visiting a local destination as part of the government’s drive to promote the pandemic-hit tourism industry.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat announced that the Department of Tourism will fully subsidize the travelers’ swab test as long as they present documents related to their DOT-accredited hotel stay and return ticket.

The latest travel offer will begin on November 1, the tourism chief said in an interview over ABS-CBN’s TeleRadyo.

The tourism department previously subsidized a tourist’s swab test for P750 out of the P3,500 charged in hospitals and other testing centers.

“We decided para talagang mas menos gastos, we decided to subsidize 100 percent so starting November 1, zero na…Subsidized na ng DOT and TPB (Tourism Promotions Board) so wala na silang babayaran for RT-PCR swab,” Puyat told ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo on Monday.

“Kami na magbabayad. Libre na with the Philippine Children’s Medical Center,” she said. “We can only pay for tourists.”

Asked how many free swab tests can a traveler avail from DOT, Puyat said: “As many as you want because we want to encourage domestic tourism.”

She said the tourism department is looking into other possible agreements with other government hospitals where it can subsidize the COVID-19 tests for local travelers.

In providing free COVID-19 tests, she said it was important to ensure a safe and convenient travel to encourage people to visit various places while promoting tourism jobs across the country.

More than 1 million tourism workers have been affected by the pandemic in the country. Some of these workers lost their jobs while others are employed on flexible schedule.

At present, Puyat said some local tourist destinations have started to lift the RT-PCR swab test requirement for fully vaccinated travelers. Other places such as Metro Manila and Boracay are open to travelers of all ages.

The government recently launched its “More Fun Awaits” campaign to entire more tourists, including international travelers, to visit the country once pandemic restrictions have further eased.

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Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)