Inbound travelers may present negative COVID-19 antigen results — Palace

MANILA, Philippines — Foreigners and returning Filipinos may now present negative laboratory-based antigen results to enter the country, Malacañang announced Friday.

Filipino and foreign nationals arriving from abroad may present a negative laboratory-based antigen test taken within 24 hours prior to the date and time of departure from the country of origin, said acting deputy presidential spokesperson Michel Kristian Ablan.  

“Previously, they have to show negative RT-PCR test taken within 48 hours. Now, it is either of the two: RT-PCR or antigen,” he said.

Ablan also announced that Hong Kong or Macau passport holders are allowed to enter the Philippines without visa provided they stay for a period not exceeding 14 days.

The Philippines has been progressively easing entry rules and scrapping pandemic restrictions after a sharp drop in COVID-19 cases. The country reopened its borders to foreign tourists in February.

Metro Manila and 39 other areas are under Alert Level 1—or the “new normal”—until March 15.

The virus has infected more than 3.6 million people in the country, with over 57,000 deaths, according to latest government data. — Gaea Katreena Cabico

RT-PCR, antigen tests not needed In getting health card from CHO

 

By Maya Padillo, EDGE Davao -January 26, 2022 10:00 am

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio confirmed on Monday that a negative reverse transcription-polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) or a negative antigen test to get health cards from the City Health Office (CHO) are no longer required.

The mayor said the Davao City Covid-19 Task Force has agreed to lift the requirement for negative RT-PCR or antigen test that has been required by the city since September 2021 through Resolution No. 35-A of the Davao City Covid-19 Task Force to ensure the health safety of the workforce in every establishment.

The mayor said this after a netizen appealed to her during the Special Hours with Mayor Inday Sara Duterte on the Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on Monday.

“It was agreed upon na tanggalon na ang testing dinha sa pagkuha og health card nato. Wala na ang RT-PCR test or antigen test na required kung magkuha ka og health card or magrenew ka og health card dinhi sa City Government of Davao, sa City Health Office,” the mayor said.

The mayor said such a requirement is no longer needed due to the limited capacity of the city to provide free tests. “Ang reason is because daghan sila kaayo and there are not enough tests na libre gikan sa City Government of Davao nga mo-cover sa tanang magkuha og health card. The purpose of this is surveillance so gi-shift nato kani na surveillance didto nalang mismo sa establishments depending on the capacity or the allotted test for the surveillance. Mao na ang reason. And the third reason is that it has been reported nga ginapasa sa mga employers diha sa ilang mga empleyado ang cost sa testing nila para makakuha sila og health card,” she said.

A health card is one of the requirements that job applicants must provide to the employers. Mayor Sara added that the responsibility of the surveillance should be shouldered by the employers because it is their interest that will be heavily affected if the number of cases will spread among the workforce.

“Employers should be responsible enough nga naa sila’y surveillance sa mga employees nila nga dunay symptoms. Because kung pasagdan nila ni muabot ang panahon nga tanan na magkasakit and it would really affect their business. So, it is very important, gina-highlight nato sa tanan nato nga businesses nga duna’y regular surveillance testing to avoid the situation nga wala na’y empleyado, na ma-lockdown mo because sa kadaghan sa cases,” Mayor Sara said.