More private labs willing to test OFWs for Covid-19

Roque said OFWs and OFs need not worry about delays in their PCR test results. (File photo: United Nations COVID-19 Response/Unsplash)

MANILA – More private labs are willing to test overseas Filipinos (OFs) arriving in the country for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), Malacañang said on Thursday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Project ARK, a private sector initiative to boost the country’s capacity to contain Covid-19, has announced readiness to process the specimen of returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and OFs while the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) has yet to pay its remaining debt to the Philippine Red Cross (PRC).

“Nagpadala po ng abiso ang Project ARK sa pamamagitan ng kaniyang medical director si Dr. Minguita Padilla na handa raw po sila na i-subject sa PCR testing ang mga bumabalik na OFWs at mga overseas Filipinos natin sa kanilang 11 laboratories with a testing capacity of 3,000 per day (Project ARK, through its medical director Dr. Minguita Padilla, released an advisory saying they are ready to subject OFWs and OFs to PCR testing in their 11 laboratories with a testing capacity of 3,000 per day),” he said in a press briefing from Panglao, Bohol.

Citing Padilla, Roque said Project ARK will devote the Philippine Children’s Medical Center, the Jose Rodriguez Memorial Hospital, and the JB Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital, among other hospitals for receiving the specimens of OFWs and OFs.

Besides Project ARK, Roque said the Philippine Airport Diagnostic Laboratory at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) has also offered to test OFWs and OFs for Covid-19.

“Nagpadala din po ng abiso ang Philippine Airport Diagnostic Laboratory. Ito po ay isa sa dalawang pribadong laboratories na nag-o-operate sa NAIA na handa rin po silang magbigay ng PCR tests sa mga bumabalik na OFWs natin sa kaparehong halaga na sinisingil ng Philippine Red Cross (The Philippine Airport Diagnostic Laboratory also released an advisory. This is one of the two private laboratories operating in NAIA willing to perform PCR tests for returning OFWs that charge the same about as Philippine Red Cross),” he said.

He said the NAIA-based laboratory can conduct 4,000 PCR tests daily.

Roque said OFWs and OFs need not worry about delays in their PCR test results.

“Yung mga bumabalik na OFWs, huwag po kayo mag-alala, hinding-hindi po maaaberya ang inyong PCR tests (Returning OFWs, don’t worry, your PCR tests will not be delayed),” he said.

Meanwhile, Roque reassured the PRC that PhilHealth will soon pay its outstanding balance of over PHP561 million.

“Kampante naman tayo na (We are confident that) since it was no less than the President who said that the Philippine government will pay, e ano pa ba ho ang hihingin pa ng PRC. ‘Yan po ay (what else can the PRC ask for. That’s a) sovereign guarantee from the mouth of the President himself,” he said.

He also expressed hope that the PRC would continue being the government’s partner in boosting the country’s Covid-19 testing capacity.

On Wednesday, PRC chair and Senator Richard Gordon said PhilHealth should pay its debt within three days.

He warned that the state insurer’s debt will pile up once again if it fails to settle the remaining balance as soon as possible.

PhilHealth settled half of its PHP1-billion debt to the humanitarian organization on Tuesday afternoon.

In response, the PRC said it will resume accepting samples from those covered by the PhilHealth-fund.