Better treatment sought for repatriated OFWs

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Netizens called for better quarantine facilities for repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in this city and Negros Occidental.

This, after reports reached the mainstream and social media that the OFWs were taken to a public school here that was converted as a quarantine center for Bacolod-based OFWs.

Negrense OFWs were taken to another school in EB Magalona.

Lt. Commander Jansen Benjamin, Negros Occidental Coast Guard chief, confirmed with Daily Guardian here that 52 OFWs (28 from Bacolod and 24 from Negros Occidental) arrived at the Bredco port onboard a 2Go vessel at around 8:24 p.m. Tuesday.

The Bacolod Public Information Office confirmed that 28 Bacolodnon OFWs already arrived.

This was the first batch of returning OFWs directly received by the city government, through the Action Team on Returning OFWs (ATRO) created by Mayor Evelio Leonardia and chaired by Councilor Israel Salanga.

Salanga said the repatriates are required to undergo 14-day quarantine upon arrival here.

They must be tested negative of the coronavirus disease (COVID) before they are eventually sent home, he added.

The Negrense OFWs were brought to the EB Magalona quarantine center which was the subject of complaints about poor facilities.

The quarantine center is a Yolanda Typhoon Housing project that was not used by the municipal government.

Since it was constructed after the onslaught of typhoon Yolanda in 2013, the provincial government undertook repairs.

Some netizens said that the OFWs, who are the country’s unsung heroes for keeping the economy afloat through their remittances, deserve better treatment.

Their quarantine centers pale in comparison to that of their counterparts in Iloilo and Cebu who were billeted in hotels upon their arrival, some netizens said.

 

OWWA’S CALL?

Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson called on the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to address the concerns of OFWs for better quarantine facilities.

Lacson based his call on the Facebook post of Cebu-based OFWs who thanked OWWA for billeting them in a hotel.

Lacson said the provincial government did not neglect Negrense OFWs who are quarantined in EB Magalona.

He cited the 33 Negrenses who stayed in the EB Magalona quarantine center without any hitch.

The 33 are healthy and looked good which means they were taken good care at the quarantine, he added.

35 were repatriated from Cebu but two tested positive for the coronavirus disease and remained at the facility under strict isolation.

The 33, on the other hand, were subjected to rapid tests before they were released and given quarantine certificates.