The Department of Tourism wants to work with the Philippine General Hospital to cut costs of COVID-19 swab testing for local tourists, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said on Wednesday. (FILE PHOTO)

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 2) — The Department of Tourism wants to work with the Philippine General Hospital to cut costs of COVID-19 swab testing for local tourists, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said on Wednesday.

The secretary said that although the hospital already provides RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) tests at a cheap rate of ₱1,800, she hopes to get a 50% discount for tourists since they are required to undergo testing before their trips.

"[W]e want a partnership na posible [so it is possible] that we can still give a 50% discount so it's more affordable," she told reporters after a meeting with Boracay task force officials. "We're talking about domestic tourism kasi halos lahat may test [because almost all need tests] before travel."

In October, the Department of Health announced that negative swab test results are required for local tourists from highly-infected areas.

Romulo-Puyat said they are preparing for more visitors, especially in Boracay island, as the holiday season approaches.

The government set the reference price for RT-PCR tests in public facilities at ₱3,800 and up to ₱5,000 for private hospitals. These licensed establishments, however, can opt to charge a cheaper rate as long as quality is not compromised, according to the joint administrative order of the DOH and the Department of Trade and Industry.