1,500 taxi drivers plying Cebu Cityt o undergo COVID-19 test

CEBU, Philippines —  At least 1,500 taxi drivers in Cebu City are set to undergo a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) test starting on Tuesday next week, says Mayor Edgardo Labella.

Labella urged the operators to encourage their drivers to submit themselves to RT-PCR test for their own good and for the good of the riding public.

Those who will refuse to undergo the test may no longer be allowed to continue driving.

“Usa na sa ato unya nga pagatan-awn. If they will refuse because... importante gyud nga sila ma-test para safe ang atong mga katawhan,” said Labella.

“Anyway, dali raman nako siguro nga maistoryahan ang mga operators nga di gyud pabalibaron sa massive pooled testing. Otherwise, pwede nato, usa na sa kondisyon nga dili sila makadrive,” he added.

Requiring the mandatory testing for taxi drivers is one of the measures the city government is doing to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 virus amid the continued spike in the number of new cases.

The testing would run for at least one week.

“Hinaot nga magmalampuson kini sa tanang taxi drivers nga nia nagdrive dinhi sa dakbayan sa Sugbo para ma-safe gyud ang atoang mga katawhan nga naa mosakay sa atong mga taxi,” Labella said.

A driver who will be tested positive for COVID-19 will undergo the mandatory isolation at the barangay isolation center or at any other accredited isolation facilities of his choice.

Aside from the BICs, the other isolation facilities are NOAH complex at the South Road Properties (SRP) for the asymptomatic, Cebu City Quarantine Center (CCQC) at the north reclamation area and the International Convention Center (ICC3) in Barangay Luz, Cebu City for those with mild symptoms.

There are also pension houses and hotels accredited by the Department of Health (DOH) as isolation centers.

Labella stressed that all taxi drivers plying Cebu City streets are required to under the test even if they are not city residents. — FPL (FREEMAN)