Even with the recent implementation of the COVID-19 testing price range, President Rodrigo Duterte disclosed that he is still looking for other measures to cut down the cost.
“I’m trying to figure out a cheaper way of doing it and I will discuss it with the Secretary of Health and General Galvez [on] how to come up with a cheaper swabbing and testing. Kasi magbayad ka mahal lalo na sa airport (because it is expensive especially at the airport),” he observed.
“Dapat if we are to really avoid and limit the virus, government itself must provide for the well curative and palliative or whatever preventive [measure], and one of those is really the swabbing para malaman ka (to determine your status),” he emphasized.
Malacañang stressed on Tuesday that improvement in testing capacity has always been the country’s priority and even cited that the Philippines has one of the biggest testing capabilities in Asia, following the statement of President Duterte on realizing the importance of testing.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III told President Duterte during the Monday meeting that the testing price has already been reduced in accordance with an executive order. PCR tests cost ₱4,500 to ₱5,000 in private laboratories and around ₱3,800 in national and local government laboratories.
“Ang PhilHealth naman ay patuloy na nagbabayad. Ang pinakamataas pong bayad ng PhilHealth is ₱3,409 (PhilHealth is continuously paying. The highest amount paid for each testing is ₱3,409),” he added.
Asked if the government can shoulder testing, Duque assured that the government has been expanding its capacity but private laboratories are needed amid the “limited” capacity of government laboratories. – PTV News Online
