THE Philippines’ leading carrier, Cebu Pacific (PSE: CEB), commercially launches its Test Before Boarding (TBB) process for passengers flying from Manila, after its successful pilot run with the local government of General Santos. This process makes use of an antigen test taken just hours before the scheduled time of departure, with results released within 30 minutes.
CEB offers this antigen test for only P700, the lowest rate in the industry. The TBB testing facility at the NAIA Terminal 3 is now open for walk-ins from 2 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. CEB passengers will only have to register onsite and pay the fee directly to CEB’s diagnostic partner, Philippine Airport Diagnostic Laboratory (PADL).
Throughout the pilot run, CEB tested a total of 1,143 passengers, three of whom tested positive and were not allowed to proceed with their flight. Only those who tested negative were allowed to board the aircraft. Subsequently, based on the data provided by the local government of GenSan, CEB passengers were retested after their seven-day quarantine and results were still negative, showing consistency with the earlier results of the TBB process.
Apart from General Santos, the local governments of Butuan, Dipolog, and Pagadian also accept negative antigen test results as a pre-travel requirement. CEB passengers going to these destinations may also conveniently avail of the TBB.
Affordable RT-PCR tests
To date, a number of local and international destinations require negative RT-PCR test results prior to entry. As such, CEB has ensured this need is fully covered as it offers RT-PCR tests for only P3,300 via its three partner laboratories, namely PADL, Health Metrics, Inc. (HMI), and Safeguard DNA Diagnostics Inc. (SDDI).
Passengers booked on Cebu Pacific and Cebgo can easily choose and book appointments via https://bit.ly/CEBFlightReminders. One will simply have to click on the “Testing Options” tab and choose from any of those in the list. From there, they will be redirected to each laboratory’s page to finalize their schedule online.
Domestic tourists may also avail of a subsidized RT-PCR test at the UP Philippine General Hospital. Fifty percent of the original cost will be subsidized by the Department of Tourism (DOT) through the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), leaving only P900 to be paid for by the passenger. Those who wish to apply for this must register five days before their trip via www.tpb.gov.ph/rtpcrphtravel.
Testing is just one out of the three key steps CEB strictly implements to regain passenger confidence. Other approaches include safety and sanitation, as well as track and trace. CEB continues to implement a multi-layered approach to safety and has been rated 7/7 stars by airlineratings.com for its COVID-19 compliance. Passengers are also constantly reminded to register in the Department of Transportation’s Traze App for a more efficient contact tracing process.
Guests are still strongly urged to always check with the concerned LGU for latest updates. For a list of travel requirements, testing options, flexibility options and frequently asked questions, passengers are encouraged to visit https://bit.ly/CEBFlightReminders./PN
