Despite imposed penalties, there are still passengers/travelers presenting fake RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) negative result at the Davao International Airport (DIA).
City Tourism Operations Office and Davao City Airport Health Monitoring Team Head Gene Rose Tecson disclosed four were apprehended on May 2, 2021 and two on the next day.
“Yes po, sadly. Ang iba scam talaga. Di man tayo nagkulang, unless sa NCR, sila yun maghabol sa mga scammers,” Tecson said.
To date there are 102 passengers apprehended since March 2021 when the “test-before-travel” requirement for all Davao-bound flight passengers was implemented at DIA.
The test-before-travel requirement is in accordance with City Ordinance 0477-21, Series of 2021, or an ordinance providing for mandatory testing before entry into the city via DIA.
its implementation is also considered as the best line of defense for the city’s fights against Covid-19 and all its variants.
In an earlier interview, Tecson said some of the said passengers have presented fake RT-PCR test results from different alleged testing centers. She said most forged test results are from Red Cross and Lord’s Grace and some without QR codes. She added that there were also falsified test results coming from Cebu – University of Cebu Medical Center and Central Visayas Laboratory and even Zamboanga also had fake RT-PCR test results.
Tecson also shared there were few cases where flight passengers got their RT-PCR test results from Cubao for a cost of P3,800 with receipt only to find out upon arriving at the DIA that it’s fake.
She assured that the personnel being deployed at DIA are equipped to check RT-PCR negative result of the passengers.
“Better than other destinations,” Tecson said.
Tecson also reminded passengers to get swabbed in legitimate hospitals and medical laboratories.
Based on the Department of Health Circular No. 2020-0391 the maximum price cap for swab test in private laboratories is P5,000 and P3,000 for public laboratories.
