Senator Richard Gordon, who heads the Philippine Red Cross, has revealed that he has received reports of OFWs being asked to pay up to Php20,000 for their coronavirus disease (COVID-19) tests.
The Philippine Red Cross pulled out their COVID-19 tests after the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) were unable to pay debts amounting to nearly Php1 billion.
“May nagtext sa’kin galing Washington DC. Ang sabi, ang charge sa kanya P10,000. Mukhang may nabebendisyunan doon. Isa pa (Another one said), ‘My sister paid P7,000 to get the results in 24 hours. Naghintay siya beyond 24 hours and got it only after she expressed her rage… For 12 hours, it costs P10,000, and for 6 hours, it costs P20,000,” said Senator Gordon in an interview with ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo.
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Around 6,000 expats have been stranded in Metro Manila due to testing delays after the Philippine Red Cross was forced to halt their COVID-19 test services.
Senator Gordon furthered that he was surprised that current PhilHealth chief Atty. Dante Guieran seems ‘unable’ to decide on paying for the services rendered by Red Cross.
READ ON: Palace urges Red Cross to resume COVID-19 tests following President Duterte’s assurance of payments
“Nagugulat ako dyan kay Atty. (Dante) Gierran dahil kilala kong tao yan eh. Pero mukhang di makadesisyon, natatakot. Ewan ko kung kanino siya natatakot. Alam ko, matapang naman siya. Ang nakikita ko, baka may sinususian,” said Senator Gordon.
Earlier, Red Cross and PhilHealth entered into an agreement for a massive COVID-19 testing program where PhilHealth will pay Red Cross Php3,500 for each COVID-19 test.
