By Julia Marie Mangmang

Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat stated on Saturday, October 30 that the government will offer free RT-PCR tests for qualified domestic tourists at the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) starting November 1. 

This decision was made in an attempt to revive tourism in the country and encourage more Filipinos to travel while ensuring the safety of travellers, locals, and tourism workers. 

The tourism secretary stated that a lot of Filipinos want to travel, but are discouraged because of the pricey COVID-19 tests. 

Last December, the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) and the DOT partnered with the PCMC to help shoulder 50% of the total cost of tourists’ COVID-19 swab tests. 

Half a year into the program, more than 15,000 tourists have availed of the tourist department’s joint subsidy program. 

Eleven months later, the TPB and the DOT guaranteed full payment of the RT-PCR tests of 350 tourists a day. 

In order to qualify for the free testing, the tourists must show their return tickets and proof that they are staying in a DOT-accredited hotel as the agencies can only shoulder tourists. 

Thanks to the amended rules, the DOT and TPB can now accommodate more than 10,000 tourists annually, with Romulo-Puyat expressing plans of partnering with other government hospitals too.

To add, fully vaccinated citizens are no longer required to present negative RT-PCR test results, all they need is their proof of vaccination. 

Romulo-Puyat has also appealed to the Inter-Agency Task Force Against COVID-19 to get rid of travel age restrictions as Filipinos travel as a family.