Guevarra says task force did not recommend abolishing PhilHealth

September 30, 2020

The local government of Manila expanded its free COVID-19 mass testing for workers in public markets, hotels, transports, and personnel working in other services within the city.

"We will continue to test people. We are expanding the reach (of our testing) because we know that for the person to be tested, you must be at least probable or suspected," Manila Mayor Francisco Domagoso said in a television interview on Wednesday.

"We go to them. It’s either they feel they wanted to go if they were exposed or if they are worried, they can go anytime to Sta. Ana Hospital, or like our serology testing, we’ll just go to their workplace," he added.

Moreno said under "Executive Order No. 39, the city government heads of the Manila Bureau of Permits and Licensing Office, the Department of Tourism, Culture and Arts of Manila and the Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau are directed to require establishments under their jurisdiction to require filling up mandatory health declaration forms for contact tracing purposes."

"It’s going to be a daily thing, the way we do it. It will continue until we can, and it’s going to be for free for everyone, and when we say everyone because our logic is we have 2.4 million population nighttime and 3 million daytime, we wanted all those who will come in Manila to be safe, so that our people are also safe," he said.

Moreno also announced that the drive-thru at the Bonifacio Shrine near the Manila City Hall will be closed temporarily and it  will be transferred to Rizal Park because of the construction of the drainage system in the area.

"Like what we did with serology, we started it almost three months ago, until now our drive-thru is continues. I would like to make an announcement that our drive-thru testing: we have two, one at the Kartilya, and one in Luneta. We will temporarily closed the one in Kartilya because of the ongoing  construction of the drainage system," he said.

"Just transfer, to those who wanted to get their serology testing in Luneta. The volume that we have allotted in Kartilya Lawton will go to Luneta," he added. Robina Asido/DMS