1,500 workers needed to operate swab testing centers

MANILA, Philippines — The government needs about 1,500 workers to ensure the full operation of the mega swabbing facilities in Metro Manila, presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said yesterday.

These workers – health workers, swabbers, encoders and bar coders will be provided with a proper compensation package that will include hazard pay, he added.  

Relatedly, Malacañang has also reportedly asked agencies to tap government employees who can be deployed in the swabbing and quarantine facilities to address the insufficiency of personnel.

The government also assured yesterday that overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) will be reunited with their families during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis.

Roque said the government designated ob-gyne physicians to deal with pregnant women, in addition to the doctors that are already assigned in quarantine facilities. Five OFWs have given birth while under quarantine.

As the government expects another 40,000 OFWs to return to the country this month and in June, National Task Force against COVID-19 response chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. said those already in quarantine facilities would be prioritized in the mass testing.

This way, the facilities will be decongested and readied for the new batch of returning OFWs.

“We want to have a massive testing of OFWs and on suspected COVID cases in Metro Manila to decongest the quarantine facilities of OFWs and to test residents who are possible carriers,” Galvez said.

Those who will be declared negative for COVID would be allowed to go home to their respective provinces, he added.

The government plans to conduct 15,000 tests per day by May 15 and 30,000 by May 30. – Jose Rodel Clapano