House seeks to accelerate expansion of COVID-19 testing to tourism frontliners

The House of Representatives is seeking to accelerate the expanded COVID-19 testing for frontliners in the tourism industry.

In a statement on Monday, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano expressed support to the plan of the National Task Force against COVID-19 to expand the testing strategy covering non-medical frontliners who are not exhibiting symptoms of the disease.

He called on the Department of Tourism to coordinate with the Task Force Test, Trace, Treat and its partners from the private sector to speed up the implementation of the plan to conduct COVID-19 testing for workers in major tourist destinations in the country.

“An aggressive and sustained COVID-19 testing of our tourism frontliners is necessary to facilitate faster recovery in the tourism industry and ensure a safe working environment,” Cayetano said.

"With the increased testing capacity in the country, tourism workers can be included in the expanded testing program. This initiative can help build trust and confidence of the domestic tourists as we begin to reopen more economic activities in the next few months," he added.

Results of the "Philippine Travel Survey" conducted by the DOT revealed that 77% of the respondents are willing to travel to local destinations once quarantine restrictions to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 have been lifted.

In addition, 73% of the respondents of the same survey said that they are expecting travel establishments to be observing health and safety protocols amid the "new normal" environment.

Cayetano has recognized the contribution of the tourism industry in rebooting the country's economy in light of the COVID-19 crisis.

"Now is the best time to assess and plan to rebuild our domestic tourism industry. Our tourism sector needs to adapt, innovate and manage the changing requirements of local tourists as we transition to a new normal phase," he said.

Before adjourning sine die last month, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading the proposed Accelerated Recovery and Investments Stimulus for the Economy, which proposes a package of reforms amounting to P1.3 trillion in total to help address the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis in the country.

The measure proposes putting up COVID-19 testing centers in tourist destinations in the country to be identified by the DOT along with local government units and the Department of Health to stimulate the tourism industry and create more jobs. — Erwin Colcol/RSJ, GMA News