Duterte may impose price cap on COVID-19 tests – Palace

October 29, 2020

President Rodrigo Duterte may impose a price ceiling on the coronavirus disease testing in the country, Malacanang said on Thursday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Office of the Executive Secretary has  completed the "paperwork" on the recommendation made by the technical working group of the Department of Health regarding the prices of COVID-19 tests.

"It's now awaiting the signature of our President," he said in a televised press briefing in Bohol.

Asked if Duterte will impose a price cap on COVID-19 tests, Roque said, "From all indications, there seems to be a price cap."

He said the limit could be set since there are some testing laboratories which collect exorbitant fees.

"We all know that testing can be much cheaper," Roque said, citing the fees being collected by the Project ARK, a non-government organization, amounting to "as low as P1,500...up to P2,000."

Roque said COVID-19 tests should be made affordable for the Filipinos since testing is a government strategy to determine who should be isolated and need treatment.

Meanwhile, asked if the government is inclined to maintain placing areas with huge economic activities under general community quarantine until the end of the year, Roque said, "the decision is till for November because we don't want to rule out a change in classification for December."

Duterte recently announced the quarantine classification of the various places in the country for the month of November, subject to appeal by the local government units.

Metro Manila and a few other areas have been placed under the GCQ while most parts of the country under modified GCQ from November 1 to 30.

Roque said any change on quarantine classification would depend on factors, such as COVID-19 attack rate, two-week growth rate, and hospital utilization rate. Celerina Monte/DMS