News and Updates
Statement of the Department of Tourism (DOT)
The Department of Tourism (DOT) is grateful to the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) under the leadership of Senator Richard J. Gordon for the initiative to reduce the Reverse Transcription -Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing price to PHP 3,300.
Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat has actively asked for cooperation among Department of Health (DOH)-accredited facilities to make Antigen and RT-PCR testing more affordable to encourage domestic travel and help restore livelihood to tourism areas. Many tourist destinations have opened up to visitors, but the high cost of testing remains a deterrent to travel.
The Tourism Chief noted that an accessible and cheaper RT-PCR test to be made available by the PRC will have a positive impact on the tourism industry, the economy, and most importantly, the people, as the country strives to recover from the economic slump caused by the community lockdowns imposed by the government to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Greater access and affordability of the test will mean more Filipinos can return to their hometowns, undertake travel for leisure, business, health, education or MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) and visit family and friends.
Meanwhile, the DOT calls on all travelers to do their share of responsible and safe tourism by complying with health and safety protocols imposed by the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases ( IATF-EID) and the local government units of chosen destinations.
Published:December 21, 2020
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