Eleazar: Swab test not yet a requirement to travel

Joint Task Force COVID-19 Shield Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar clarified Monday that swab testing is not yet a requirement to allow passengers to proceed with their trips.

“Maaaring nagkaroon lang ng konting kalituhan… sa ngayon ay hindi pa kailangan itong PCR test result para ikaw ay makaalis,” Eleazar told GMA News’ Jonathan Andal over the phone.

Over the weekend, passengers with scheduled trips to their provinces were not allowed to board the ships if they do not have a negative swab test.

The passengers, who said they learned of the new requirement on Saturday, decided to sleep outside North Port Passenger Terminal in North Harbor, Manila. Many of them got wet when it rained Sunday night.

In a separate radio interview, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año also clarified that the proposal to subject LSIs to swab testing is not yet approved.

If approved, Año said the swab testing will be done at the destination of the LSI.

"Hindi pa naman naa-approve 'yung bagong prinopose natin protocol na mag undergo ng PCR testing 'yung mga LSI pero ito ay doon na sa kanilang point of destination," he said.

"So ibig sabihin, biyahe sila, pagdating doon sa LGU na pupuntahan nila doon sila ititest ng PCR pero ngayon 'yung current protocol pa rin," he added.

In its Facebook page, 2Go made the announcement Friday night.

The stranded passengers were only allowed to enter the North Port premises Monday morning.—AOL/RSJ, GMA News