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To DOH, DTI: Ensure COVID-19 testing laboratories’ compliance with new price cap

As COVID-19 infections continue to rise in the country, Senator Win Gatchalian urged the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to put in place mechanisms that will oversee compliance of testing laboratories on the reduced price cap for real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or swab tests.
  • Strict monitoring of the government-mandated price cap should be undertaken as the majority of Filipinos have been financially crippled by the COVID-19 pandemic;
  • The DOH issued last August 26 Circular No. 2021-0374 on the new price cap that took effect Monday, September 6, 2021;
  • Gatchalian said it’s incumbent upon the DOH and the DTI to conduct a regular or even a random check on the testing prices of the licensed COVID-19 testing laboratories on their compliance with the price cap and impose appropriate penalties.

 

CEBU CITY – Senator Win Gatchalian speaks to the local media during his Balitang Win press conference, 16 July 2021. Gatchalian said it’s incumbent upon the DOH and the DTI to conduct a regular or even a random check on the testing prices of the licensed COVID-19 testing laboratories on their compliance with the price cap and impose appropriate penalties. Photo by Mark Cayabyab/OS WIN GATCHALIAN

“Napapanahon itong ganitong hakbang lalo na’t patuloy ang pagtaas ng bilang ng mga nahahawa ng COVID-19 dahil sa mas matinding Delta variant at kadalasan ay pami-pamilya na ang nagkakasakit. Kung naiimplementa nang tama at masigurong mas mababa ang presyo ng swab test, mas mahihikayat ang marami nating kababayan, bagay na makakatulong nang malaki sa COVID-19 response ng gobyerno,” Gatchalian said.

Strict monitoring of the government-mandated price cap should be undertaken as the majority of Filipinos have been financially crippled by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially those rendered unemployed and underemployed since last year, the senator said.

From the previous P4,500 to P5,000 price cap for private testing hubs, the new price cap has been reduced to P2,940 to P3,360 for the private facilities while the public testing centers’ previous P3,800 per swab test has been set from P2,450 to P2,800. The government has set a price cap of P1,000 for home service testing and this is on top of the testing cost.

The DOH issued last August 26 Circular No. 2021-0374 on the new price cap that took effect Monday, September 6, 2021. The last price cap was set on November 25, 2020.

Gatchalian said it’s incumbent upon the DOH and the DTI to conduct a regular or even a random check on the testing prices of the licensed COVID-19 testing laboratories on their compliance with the price cap and impose appropriate penalties.

Based on the DOH order, breaching the price cap will earn a suspension of license to operate for 15 days for the first offense, 30 days for the second offense, and a revocation of license for the third offense. A fine of P20,000 and P30,000 for first and second offenses respectively will likewise be imposed on erring laboratories.

“Sa panahon ng pandemya, nais natin na maiwasan ang pananamantala ng ilang indibidwal sa mga kababayan nating nangangailangan at nagkakasakit dulot ng COVID-19. Mainam na masawata ang mga maling gawaing ito lalo na’t kung makokompromiso ang kapakanan at kaligtasan ng publiko,” Gatchalian said.