Tourists in Boracay Island (File photo)
MANILA – Tourists planning to tamper with their swab test to visit a reopened destination are reminded anew by the Department of Tourism (DOT) that all RT-PCR results carry a unique code to verify its authenticity as well as the date it was taken.
“Kasama ito sa prohibited acts, ‘yong Tampering of Records related to Health Concerns. Ang pakiusap naming sa mga ba-biyahe, huwag na po kayong mameke (This is among the prohibited act [under Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act]. We appeal on our travelers not to falsify their documents),” Tourism Undersecretary Benito Bengzon Jr. said during the Laging Handa briefing on Friday.
Bengzon noted that affordable RT-PCR tests are available exclusively for qualified tourists visiting a reopened destination through a subsidy by the DOT-Tourism Promotions Board.
At the Philippine General Hospital alone, the regular rate of PHP1,800 per swab is cut by 50 percent to PHP900. The cost is much lower at the Philippine Children’s Medical Center for only PHP750 per tourist.
“Napakababa na po ng testing at hindi rin kayo makakalusot dahil maraming paraan para malaman kung napeke itong test results. Again, pakiusap naming, makipag-cooperate tayo at dumaan sa proseso (This is already cheap for testing and you won't be able to get through even if you try to fake the results. Again, we ask our travelers to cooperate),” he added.
Bengzon said the DOT supports calls for standardized protocols and simplification of travel requirements.
He did not provide details, however, on ongoing meetings with stakeholders, but assured that the DOT is in close coordination with all concerned parties, including hotels, tour operators, and airlines.
"Tingin namin ay malaki ang maitutulonbg nito sa pag-engganyo ng ating mga kababayan na umikot sa mga destinations na nagbukas nitong mga nakaraang buwan (We think the standardization would help a lot in attracting our kababayan to tour around destinations that have reopened in the previous months)," he said. (PNA)
