MANILA – Tourism workers in the world-famous Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan will be subjected to free coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing.
Testing czar Vince Dizon said during Malacanang’s Thursday virtual press conference in Quezon City Philippine Health Insurance Corporation will shoulder the reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction testing of the island’s waiters and tour guides.
Boracay’s health care workers, police officers and public utility vehicle drivers can also avail themselves of the free examination.
Senator Richard Gordon, Philippine Red Cross chair, has earlier pushed for COVID-19 testing of tourism workers in Boracay in a bid to fast track the island’s economic recovery.
“If we do that and say all the people have been tested, there’s no COVID here, we can start-up the economy right away,” he added.
Boracay Island reopened starting June 16 but only tourists Western Visayan tourists are allowed to go there for now./PN
As of July 23, The Department of Toursim in Region 6 had issued a total of 115 certificates of authority to operate (CAO) to the island resort’s accommodation establishments, covering some 2,635 health protocols-compliant rooms./PN
