The government has assured returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) that the coronavirus testing remains free despite the current delays due to the issue involving Philippine Red Cross and PhilHealth.
The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said they don’t encourage OFWs paying for their own swab tests. The Philippine Coast Guard is exhausting all efforts to process the swab test results through 17 national and local government laboratories, said the agency.
The Philippine Red Cross stopped the testing of OFWs after PhilHealth failed to settle its overdue balance of P930.99 million out of a total debt of P1.04 billion.
As of Wednesday, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello said that there are over 6,000 OFWs currently stranded in quarantine facilities due to testing backlogs.
The government added that testing, accommodation and food remain free for returning OFWs despite delays.
