(Eagle News) –Over 100 more immigration officers tested negative for COVID-19, the Bureau of Immigration said.
In a statement, Immigration chief Jaime Morente said the 125 who tested negative based on results of a rapid anti-body test done on Friday were assigned at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
He said this was the second time the test was was done for immigration frontliners at NAIA.
Last April 26, 206 immigration officers at NAIA tested negative for the virus.
Morente said the first to be tested were the ones from NAIA and the main office, but that they were planning to conduct the tests in their other offices nationwide as well.
Bureau Port Operations Division Chief Grifton Medina said that in the testing, officers with direct contact to COVID-19 passengers, senior citizens, pregnant women, and those with underlying medical conditions, officers who processed repatriation flights, as well as primary and secondary inspectors are prioritized.
In a recent test at the bureau’s main office, 150 personnel tested negative for the virus.
Last week, the bureau also tested 159 at-risk inmates and personnel of its warden Facility.
According to Morente, although all those tested have so far yielded negative results, “this does not mean that we will lower our guard.”
“We have strict protocols in the use of PPEs (personal protective equipment) in the conduct of our officers’ duties, as well as the implementation of strict social distancing in all our offices,” he added.
