MANILA - Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso on Thursday said the Manila City government will continue to help fight the COVID-19 crisis, offering free medicines, and swab and antigen tests even to non-residents of the city.

In a Facebook Live, the local chief executive, who is seeking the presidency this May, said they will "continue to share" such experimental drugs against COVID-19 as remdesivir and Tocilizumab, and the COVID-19 pill Molnupiravir.

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"Sa mga manonood ngayon, please say this and share this: kung kayo ay mangangailangan ng remdesivir, Tocilizumab... Molnupiravir, mga gamot na nakakatulong mabuhay ang tao..., welcome po kayo sa Maynila," Domagoso said.

(To those who are watching this, please share this: if you are in need of remdesivir, Tocilizumab... Molnupiravir, or medicines that could help save a person's life, you are welcome to Manila.)

"Malaking probabilidad na mabuhay ang tao dahil sa gamot na ito laban sa COVID-19," he said.

(Patients who take this medicines against COVID-19 have a high probability of surviving the respiratory disease.)

The same goes with antigen test kits and RT-PCR tests.

• READ: People queue for COVID-19 testing

COVID-19 testing is free in six of Manila's hospitals and their drive-thru swab testing center in Luneta, Domagoso said. This can be accessed anytime.

"Kung kayo ay mangangailangan ng antigen test kits, libre po sa Maynila. Mayroon po kaming page - ito pong page na pinapanooran ninyo, at sa Facebook din ng Manila Health Department," he said.

(If you are also in need of antigen test kits, these are free in Manila. Just contact this page or the page of the Manila Health Department.)

"Yung swab testing natin, libre sa anim na ospital, at drive-thru testing sa Luneta. Anytime of the day, puwede po kayong pumunta at magpa-test, mabigyan lang kayo ng kapanatagan kung ano ang tunay niyong sitwasyon."

(Our swab testing is free in six hospitals and drive-thru testing site in Luneta. You can go there anytime of the day, and get peace of mind regarding your condition.)

• READ: Omicron cases ng Pilipinas nadagdagan

Domagoso's pronouncement came as many people line up in testing centers and emergency rooms to have their samples taken after experiencing COVID-19 symptoms after the holidays.

He said more than 186,000 people as of Thursday have availed of the free swab testing in the city.

The Philippines is facing a fresh wave of new COVID-19 infections, most likely driven by the more transmissible omicron variant.

Earlier in the day, the Department of Health (DOH) announced more than 17,000 fresh cases, the highest in over three months.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Tuesday night that the country is now at high risk for COVID-19, amid the local presence of the variant of concern.

Video from Isko Moreno Domagoso