The holidays are upon us and even though we are staying at home, going out can be a hazard since many people are already out and about. If you are experiencing symptoms or need an RT-PCR test for work, here are some of the Hospitals, Clinics, and other accredited testing facilities that we have tried and we highly recommend.
My family has always been very careful during the pandemic and we get tested when we can. This is to ensure our safety and the safety of the people around us.
UP-PGH
We have tried getting an RT-PCR test at UP-PGH a few times. This is probably the most affordable RT-PCR test you can find and you don’t have to worry because testing is done outside the main hospital to make sure you don’t get exposed to other illnesses. The testing facility is located in the parking area of UP-PGH. The RT-PCR test is free for UP-PGH employees, PGH Charity patients, and watchers, Close contacts of PGH employees, Senior Citizens, and PWD’s. The cost for Immediate family members of PGH employees and Government Employees is Php1,400 while walk-in prescheduled patients are Php1,800. If you opt for a drive-thru test, the cost is Php3,800 and Off-site swabbing is Php5,000. The off-site swabbing is usually for companies who need testing for more than 20pax. In our experience, results for the tests are usually released within 24hrs or less and sent via email, but they will inform you that the test results are usually available in 1-3 days.
How to book testing:
UP-PGH doesn’t accept walk-ins so make sure you call 8554-8400 local  5181 or email opswab.uppgh@up.edu.ph. They usually reply within the hour with booking instructions and the documents that need to be signed. Payment is made on-site where you will also claim your RT-PCR kit. The RT-PCR kit is already labeled with your name so you just have to walk through the testing area and you are done in less than 5minutes.
AIDE APP
If you opt to get tested at home, AIDE offers home-service RT-PCR. This is actually really good for those who need confirmatory tests or for those who have difficulty traveling. AIDE offers Rapid Antibody, Antigen and RT-PCR depending on your requirement. The RT-PCR test costs start at Php7,500 and depend on how many people will get tested. The test cost covers transportation, PPE and etc. The result for AIDE’s RT-PCR test is usually released within 24hours via e-mail. The tests are done by licensed doctors and they can perform tests on babies as young as 1 year old. The doctors will arrive at your residence or where you need to get tested a few minutes before your schedule to set-up and etc.
How to book:
Appointment for AIDE’s COVID-19 tests can be done through their website www.aide-app.com/covid-testing. From there, someone from the AIDE team will get in touch with you for further details like schedule, name of people to get tested, payment and etc.
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Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center
Chinese Gen offers drive-through RT-PCR testing and has different costs depending on your requirement. For the one we booked, we got an RT-PCR test for Php4,000. It is a regular patient booking and results are released within 48 hours. There are different costs for those who need the results faster (within 6hours, 12hours, 24hours). There are also packages for RT-PCR and antibody and etc. They now allow walk-in tests on a first-come, first-served basis, Mondays to Sundays, from 8 am to 4 pm.
How to book:
Booking for Chinese Gen’s RT-PCR can be made through their website www.cghmc.com.ph/online/booking/case-investigation-form2-drive-thru/. You will need to fill in forms and pick the schedule on the website 🙂
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Healthway Clinic
Though Healthway Clinic has been offering their Rapid Antibody and Antigen tests in all their clinics, their RT-PCR test can only be done in their testing site on Makati Stock Exchange. Since November they have been open Mondays to Sundays from 8:30 am-3:30 pm. They also have home-service for the RT-PCR test, lab tests, vaccination, primary consultation, full medical exam, physical therapy, and medicine delivery. They offer the mentioned services for households in Metro Manila and Greater Manila Area Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal. The RT-PCR test costs Php4,500 at Gators Center, Basement 2 of the Makati Stock Exchange. Results are released within 3-5 days.
How to Book:
Booking can be done via call on (0917) 629 6584 (0920) 969 4929 or via e-mail at customer_service@healthway.com.ph. Upon setting up your appointment, you will be asked for information like name, age, birthday, company name, mobile number, and email address. You will also need to fill-up the patient consent form and settle payment via BPI, Metrobank, or Gcash.
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You can also find the Department of Health’s list of accredited testing laboratories here.
