Labor group backs biz sector's call for free antigen test

CEBU, Philippines —  The labor group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) is supporting the business group's Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) in calling on government to provide free home self-test antigen kits to citizens as an important component in shifting away from alert level restrictions and lockdowns.

TUCP president and TUCP Partylist Rep. Raymond Mendoza said that in curbing the spread of COVID19, the government should provide free antigen self-test kits rather than prohibit communities and restrict operations of businesses and industries.

"The government should now provide for free self-test kits particularly to workers and their families because the buying power of workers' daily wages is getting smaller every day. And many unemployed and underemployed rather buy food than purchase test kits," Mendoza said.

Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Steven Yu, when sought for comment on the call of PCCI, said that the business community will certainly welcome free antigen testing on its employees, especially Odette-affected areas like Cebu wherein "business community is literally down on its knees after experiencing the wrath of the typhoon, to add to its Covid pandemic woes".

  Another option, he said is to bring down the costs of self-administered antigen kits to less than P100 per test and make it widely available and accessible.

He said the accreditation of more brands and more retail touchpoints is also needed.

Yu said developed countries especially those who apply zero-Covid strategies like China are implementing free mass testing.

"It really behooves upon the government to choose and execute the appropriate strategy for its constituents (balancing health and economy), while taking into account the capacity of its stakeholders to absorb such costs,” Yu said.

Earlier, the Department of Health recognized the urgency to augment COVID-19 testing by authorizing the use of self-administering antigen test kits to facilitate early case detection, clinical management, and outbreak response activities within local communities.

In line with this, DOH issued Department Memorandum No. 2022-0033 stating the guidelines on the use of self-administered antigen testing for COVID-19.

DOH said the presence of highly transmissible COVID-19 variant, Omicron, highlights the need for adaptive changes to ensure continues availability of health and essential services.

"Because mass vaccination has significantly reduced the individual’s chances of getting severe disease and dying, our policies and guidelines on testing, quarantine and isolation are being updated to reflect the current state of information and achieve a favorable risk-benefit ratio,” DOH memorandum read. — KQD (FREEMAN)