The Tourism Promotions Board said it would offer free RT-PCR tests for domestic travelers starting Nov. 1 as leisure travel resumes with the easing of COVID-19 restrictions
Up to 350 travelers per day can apply for fully subsidized RT-PCR tests at the Philippine Children's Medical Center in Quezon City, the TPB said.
How to avail of the free RT-PCR test for local travel
1. Register
Tourists must register online at the Tourism Promotions Board website five days before the intended travel date. Indicate your travel destination which should be allowed to accept leisure tourists.
Since there will only be 350 slots for free RT-PCR test per day, registration will automatically close once the allocation cap is reached. Multiple registrations are discouraged.
2. Prepare the required documents
Attach the following requirements in your application:
- Copy of any two government-issued IDs (Driver’s License, Passport, PRC License, PhilPost ID, UMID, SSS, Voter’s ID, TIN ID, PhilHealth ID, PWD ID, Senior Citizen ID)
- In the absence of these IDs, secondary IDs like police clearance, NBI clearance, Pag-ibig ID) can be submitted subject to approval of the evaluation team
- For minors, any copy of the PSA birth certificate, passport, or school ID would suffice
- Copy of confirmed accommodation booking with DOT-accredited establishment for leisure and staycation
- Copy of roundtrip transportation tickets indicating the names and booking reference number, if applicable
- If using a private vehicle, present a copy of the official receipt/certificate of registration and photo of vehicle with plate number
3. Wait for the approval of your registration
The Tourism Promotions Board will evaluate your documents and inform you of the status of your application five days prior to travel, at most.
Approved applicants will receive an email from the PCMC COVID-19 Testing Laboratory which includes the swab schedule and copy of the Client Investigation Form (CIF) which you need to fill out completely and electronically and printed out for submission on the schedule of your swab test.
Only those with confirmed swab test schedules will be accommodated. Walk-in applicants will be denied.
4. Proceed with your swab test
Be at PCMC on your confirmed swab test schedule. Bring the printed copy of your CIF form and a government-issued ID.
Failure to show up means your 100% RT-PCR test subsidy will be forfeited. If you need to reschedule your swab test, do so at least three days before the new departure date.
Your RT-PCR test result will be sent directly to your email address. For those swabbed in the morning, the test results will be released on the next day between 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Those who were swabbed in the afternoon will get their results the next day between 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
If you need to follow up on your test result, you may call the PCMC COVID-19 Testing Laboratory through telephone number (02) 8588-9900 local 426 between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
The full subsidy for RT-PCR test for qualified domestic tourists at PCMC is available only until Dec. 31, 2021, or until funds for this purpose are available.
Those who have already submitted their applications no longer need to send a new one. The subsidy will also be available for tourists who have already applied and whose departure date is on Nov. 1 onwards.
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