DILG clarifies ‘misreporting’ on uncoordinated LSI repatriations

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

 

The Department of Interior and Local Government-Region 6 (DILG-6) belied claims that the Western Visayas Regional Task Force (WVRTF) blamed them for the lack of coordination on the repatriation of Locally Stranded Individuals (LSI) into the region.

In a statement published on its official Facebook page on Sunday, the DILG-6 referred to an interview by Bombo Radyo Iloilo with WVRTF spokesperson Atty. Roy Villa.

Villa allegedly stated that DILG should “focus on the problems regarding LSI repatriation as there were local government units that were not accepting people due to issues with their residence”.

This, after hundreds of LSIs were reported to have waited a long time for their Local Government Units (LGU) to fetch them from the Port of Iloilo on June 18.

A total of 292 LSIs aboard a ship from Manila arrived Saturday, with other passengers bound for Bacolod City.

DILG-6 denied the perceived lack of coordination, stating that although the Regional Director is the chairperson of the WVRTF, he cannot act on matters alone.

“DILG Regional Office 6 through its Regional Director is the Chairperson of the [WVRTF]. Although the Chairperson, DILG 6 cannot act solely on matters presented to the [WVRTF]. All actions and decisions are collectively made. National Government Agencies, including [LGUs], take part in this national endeavor. Each has a role to fulfill,” the DILG-6 statement said.

It added that Villa’s comments may have been misinterpreted, saying that he only “referred to the DILG’s role in the region”.

DILG-6 also clarified that the Balik Probinsya program, which was briefly mentioned in the radio station’s report, had been suspended “indefinitely”.

“The interview with Atty. Roy Villa as the spokesperson of the RIATF may have been taken out of context when he referred to the DILG’s role in coordinating the arrivals of the Locally-Stranded Individuals (LSIs) in the region. As to the Balik Probinsya reference, this has been temporarily suspended, subject to the guidelines to be issued later on. The arriving LSIs are still subject to the National Task Force Order 2020-02, which provides for the detailed rules and procedures in the Management of the LSIs,” they said.

The agency explained that it was able to contact LGUs immediately on the day of the ship’s departure from Manila.

“This arrival was coordinated, on the day of departure (July 17, 2020) to the Site Task Unit LSI, headed by the DILG. Immediately, DILG 6 has called up its field offices in the region, with the instruction to inform the receiving LGUs of the arrivals, pointing out the need to accept them and subject them to local health protocol. In a short period of time given with this arrival, in the early morning of July 18, the [LGUs] in the region have responded to pick-up their LSIs, as early as possible, given their logistics capacity.”

This was one of the first LSI return trips to the region after the two-week ban on repatriations which began in mid to late-June.

DILG-6 OIC-Director Juan Jovian Ingeniero on July 15 sent out a memorandum to other local officials informing them of the lifting of the ban.

Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. and municipal mayors have appealed to the national government to prolong the suspension of LSI repatriations.