Good News For Select Public Workers From Manila: Swab Testing Is Now Free

Finally.

For many of Manila's residents who have had to unavoidably put their lives at risk in order to make a living, free swab testing has been made available for them. The initiative was launched for the befit of the city's most at-risk citizens (i.e.: those who come into repeated and prolonged close contact with the public as part of their jobs), including the following groups:  

• Mall and supermarket employees
• Wet market vendors
• Hotel and restaurant staff
• Pedicab, jeepney, bus, tricycle, and E-trike drivers

Expect updates to be posted on Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and the Manila Public Information Office's official Facebook pages.

The good news comes at a time when the Philippines counts 309,000 COVID-positive cases, almost ranking the country in the Top 20 worst-hit coronavirus hot spots in the world. As of this writing, there have been 5,448 COVID-caused deaths in the Philippines. 

Globally, more than 33 million people have been infected by the virus while 23 million have recovered and more than one million deaths have been recorded. 

September marks the 10th month since the first reports of a novel coronavirus originating from Wuhan, China surfaced. 

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