The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) has limited the number of inbound passengers at the Ninoy Aquino Internal Airport (NAIA) from 4,000 to 2,500 daily to prevent an increase in the number of stranded OFWs.
“Sa MIAA itself ay wala kaming challenge kasi mayroon kaming kapasidad (We do not have a problem at the MIAA itself because we have the capacity). We have enough slots. We have enough space in terms of passenger movement. Ang challenge ay nasa one-stop shop (The challenge is in the one-stop shop),” MIAA General Manager Ed Monreal explained.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCR) has already coordinated with 12 government hospitals to ensure continuous testing for arriving OFWs to prevent congestion. The manually counted specimens have reached 2,300 on Wednesday evening.
The Department of Health (DOH) added that some private laboratories have offered to accept pending specimens, including Biopath Clinical Diagnostics Inc. in Makati E. Rodriguez, Cebu, AFRIMS, Macacare Medical, Inc., First Aide Diagnostic Centre, Detoxicare Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, Philippine Airport Diagnostic Laboratory, and The Lord’s Grace Medical and Industrial Clinic.
The Philippine Red Cross has previously suspended the RT-PCR testing funded by the PhilHealth which covers testing for OFWs due to an unpaid overdue balance amounting to ₱ 930 million. – Report from Karen Villanda
