As part of stringent travel measures, many provinces require negative RT-PCR results before they’ll allow you into their locale. RT-PCR swab tests are readily available and are offered by many private laboratories across the country. However, these are normally priced at around PHP 3,000 or above, which is a hefty sum to swallow. Alternatively, some people just don’t fancy people poking up their nose or down their throat, which makes the swab test a no-go for them.

Thankfully, Red Cross also offers an RT-PCR saliva test equivalent, which they claim is 99% accurate. Not bad right?

What are the benefits of the RT-PCR Saliva Test?

Three main things:

• Cost-wise: It’s cheaper at PHP 2,000
• Procedure-wise: Patients only have to spit into a sterile vial, so no painful invasion of your nose or throat need occur
• Time-wise: The actual saliva test involves you spitting into the vial. Once the vial is halfway through – you’re done. This takes maximum 10 minutes.

How do you book a RT-PCR Saliva Test with Red Cross?

STEP 1: Go to the Red Cross’ Book a Saliva Test website

• Select the location where you wish to get your saliva test done. If you’re in Metro Manila, there are multiple options for you. For example – I was choosing between Grace Park (Caloocan), Ayala Cloverleaf, Trinoma, or Valenzuela. In the end, I went with the Valenzuela option because it had availability in the time slots that worked for me (early morning before I went in to work)
• FYI: Valenzuela currently has two Red Cross locations – the new one (near BFP) is where the bloodletting and first air training occurs, but the saliva test is at the old location (Dahlia St., Villa Teresa Subdivision) – so just Waze or Google Maps it
• Choose the date and time slot that works for you – note that they request you arrive at least 15 minutes before your schedule because they need to get your contact details for contact tracing etc – I’ll detail it all below. Honestly, we were hoping that if we arrived earlier, we could be processed earlier, but nope – my schedule was at 9:40AM, but we were literally called at 9:50AM.
• Click “Book Now” to add the appointment to your Cart.  Afterwards, click on your Cart (upper right side of the screen) and view your items. Click on “Checkout” to proceed.
• Review your order details and input requested information.
• Choose payment method – I chose credit card, but you could also pay through GCash.
• Make sure the email address you indicate is correct because they will send your order details there.

STEP 2: Fill out relevant forms and print them out

• Prepare items to be presented at Red Cross: mask and face shield, valid ID (e.g. driver’s license) and pen, e-CIF Form retrieval code, order details email print-out
• For the order details email: Check your email for the order confirmation which will indicate the Order Number; the date, time and location of your appointment; and the Appointment #. All of these will be asked from you, so make sure to print this out.

• For the e-CIF Form referral code: Fill up this link (https://c19.redcross.org.ph/public-ecif) with your relevant information. Once done, they’ll send a retrieval code to your registered email. Print this out as well for reference

STEP 3: Make sure you follow instructions

• Don’t eat, drink, gargle, smoke or vape for 30 minutes before the test
• Don’t wear lipstick as it could introduce foreign contaminants to your saliva sample
• Bring all the required documents (see previous step) and arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled time

STEP 4: Time to queue

So I got tested at the Valenzuela Red Cross branch. I arrived at 9:10AM, and was first asked to wash my hands thoroughly by the entrance

Afterwards, they scanned my ValTrace barcode, and requested to see proof of payment and my schedule (printed copy of the order details email confirmation). Once that was done, I was asked to fill up a written form which asked for personal details as well as the Order Number, and Appointment #.

Once that was done, it was a waiting game until my schedule was called. At (closer to) 9:50AM, they requested for everyone whose schedule was at 9:40AM to proceed upstairs.

I thought it was finally time for testing! But first there was a briefing where we were told how to proceed with the test, which I’ll detail below, and there was still yet another queue.

Finally, it was my turn! They took my printed Order Details and my Retrieval Form for encoding. Afterwards, they asked for my ID where they stuck my Order Barcode.

I was then asked to check my registered email to see if I had received an email from Red Cross which they had just sent. This is critical because they want to make sure they have the right email on file, since this is where they’ll be sending your results. To be able to check this, you need to have mobile data on your phone. On the email, cross-check to make sure the order barcode indicated match the order barcode they’ve stuck on your ID

STEP 5: Saliva test time

They’ll give you two things:

• A tube, with your order barcode stuck on it
• A funnel, which is where you spit your saliva, so that it can all be captured and transferred to the tube

Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo of the tube and funnel!!! But anyway, it’s pretty straightforward, you’re asked to fill up the tube at least halfway through (the bubbles don’t count).

Once that’s done, approach the Red Cross attendant so he can check if the saliva sample looks good. Otherwise, if there are contaminants (e.g. blood, dirt, phlegm), then he will have you wash out the tube. Let the tube dry, then afterwards, repeat the same process. Obviously, this is SUPER hassle. So just do it right the first time.

Once the Red Cross attendant approves your sample, you can now hand over the sample to the attendant and throw away the funnel. That’s it!

When do you get the RT-PCR Saliva Test result?

According to the attendant, expect it to take up to 48-72 hours from the time the laboratory receives your sample.

In my case though, I received it exactly 23 hours after my saliva test. I finished the test at around 10:40AM (ha! so much for a 10 minute procedure… All the queueing, my gosh), and I received my test results at around 9:30AM the next day. Not bad!

Can you request for an Official Receipt?

Supposedly yes! Simply email prcsalivatest@redcross.org.ph with the following details:

• Name
• Date and time of collection
• Collection site
• Order number
• Received from (name of official receipt)
• Attachment of order details

Honestly though, I haven’t received a single response so far (48 hours later…) so we’ll see.

I hope you guys found my experience helpful! Good luck and if you have anything else to add, feel free to leave a comment below.