By Pearl Gumapos
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), in collaboration with the Department of Health (DOH), has reduced the price cap for COVID-19 testing kits, both for antigen and RT-PCR.
“Tinulungan ng DTI ang DOH para magsagawa ng pag-aaral doon sa presyohan ng mga test kits natin. Sagad na sagad na sagad na po ito pero magkaiba ang presyo ng plate-based at cartridge-based doon sa antigen test kits,” DTI Undersecretary Ruth Castelo said on Thursday (Sept. 2) during the Laging Handa public briefing.
“Ito na po ang pinakamababa na pwede na maibigay sa pasyente at mga nagpapa-test,” she added.
Castelo said the DTI will be assisting the DOH in monitoring public and private laboratories and retailers selling COVID-19 testing kits.
“Pag may nakita silang pang aabuso o mataas talaga ‘yung presyo compared doon sa bingay na SRP ng DOH, pwede na rin nilang itawag sa atin sa DTI-1384. ‘Yan po ang consumer hotline natin,” Castelo said.
The final cost of rapid antigen testing, which took effect on Aug 16, is P960.
The breakdown is as follows: distributor cost is at P500, operational cost at P300, and 20% allowable mark-up at P160.
As for RT-PCR testing which will take effect on Sept. 6, public plate-based testing will cost P2,800 and public cartridge-based testing will cost P2,450.
Meanwhile, private plate-based testing is at P3,360 and cartridge-based testing is at P2,940.
Either public or private RT-PCR testing will charge P1,000 for home service. -rir
