(Eagle News)–The Bureau of Immigration will soon roll out its COVID-19 testing for its frontliners in a bid to stem the spread of the virus.
Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente made the announcement after the bureau received a donation of 500 COVID-19 rapid test kits from Chinese authorities.
He said the bureau has also already procured from the Department of Budget Management personal protective equipment for its personnel.
Immigration Associate Commissioner Aldwin Alegre, the bureau COVID task force chair, recently accepted the test kits from the Police Attache from the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China.
According to Immigration Port Operations Chief Grifton Medina, there are more than 400 immigration officers currently performing frontline duties at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
“Aside from performing counter duties, these officers are also frequently dispatched to process hundreds of passengers aboard repatriation and sweeper flights that have been flying in and out of the NAIA,” Medina said.
Medina said he anticipates more repatriation flights for Overseas Filipino Workers to arrive at the NAIA in the next several days amidst the continued implementation of the enhanced community quarantine.
In the past three weeks, more than 40 repatriation flights arrived at the NAIA.
Immigration Seaport Operations Chief Alnazib Decampong also reported that they are tasked with processing crew members of arriving cargo vessels.
“These crew undergo processing and clearance from the Bureau of Quarantine, before being processed by our immigration officers,” he said.
Apart from international airports and seaports, personnel man more than 60 offices nationwide that remain in operation, the bureau said .
“We are duty-bound to continue our operations despite the community quarantine, and this puts our personnel at risk. We hope that through COVID-19 testing, we may help lessen this risk and curb the further spread of the virus,” Morente said.
