Discounted RT-PCR tests for tourists still suspended

THE TOURISM  Promotions Board (TPB) has extended its suspension of endorsements for a 50 percent reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test subsidy for approved domestic tourists until April 30.  

In a statement on Monday, the TPB said the suspension comes after the recent declaration from Malacañang putting the entire National Capital Region (NCR), Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal (NCR plus) under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).

It said endorsements to its partner hospitals -- the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) -- will resume on April 28.

However, it said the UP-PGH is closed for RT-PCR testing of outpatients every Sunday while endorsements at the PCMC are only for previously approved applicants prior to March 5.

“The aforementioned endorsement dates are for those scheduled to depart on 01 May 2021 onwards,” the TPB said.

For tourists whose flights are rescheduled, it advised sending their updated flights and hotel bookings to phtravel@tpb.gov.ph for those with endorsements at UP-PGH and to phtravel_pcmc@tpb.gov.ph for those with endorsements at PCMC.

It said rescheduling will be subject to the availability of slots for UP-PGH due to the hospital’s maximum capacity of 150 approved applicants per day.

On March 22, the TPB suspended its endorsement for subsidized RT-PCR tests for domestic tourists following the suspension of leisure travel in and out of NCR plus. (By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz)