Marinduque governor asks for PCR tests for returning OFWs

Marinduque Governor Presbitero Velasco Jr. urged the national government to subject returning Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to PCR-based tests for accurate COVID-19 detection.

He expressed concern that many returning OFWs who underwent rapid antibody tests tested positive, increasing infections in provinces and complicating LGU pandemic management.

Velasco appealed to the Inter-Agency Task Force and Health Secretary Francisco Duque to ensure OFWs receive a Department of Health certification only after testing negative via PCR.

He clarified that the PCR test should be conducted at the start of the OFW's quarantine period to have results before the 14-day isolation ends.

Velasco also claimed some OFWs returned without undergoing mandatory quarantine, contrary to national government policy.

He noted that some OFWs who returned to Cebu City, Iloilo, and Bacolod later tested positive for COVID-19.

PCR-based tests are considered the gold standard by the Department of Health as they can detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus, unlike rapid test kits which measure antibodies.