Guv nixes sped up return of LSIs amid MECQ in NCR

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

 

Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. on Wednesday dismissed the suggestion to include Locally-Stranded Individuals (LSI) in the exemptions under the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) in Metro Manila amid the growing number of confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the capital region.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, Defensor reiterated that while the province wishes for its residents to come home, they also have to balance out protecting residents who are already here.

The governor added that it was important that quarantine facilities in the province will not be overwhelmed by the influx of repatriates.

Under Executive Order No. 128-H issued by Defensor on July 23, 2020, only 300 passengers on airlines and 250 passengers on vessels, whether LSI or Returning Overseas Filipino (ROF), may be allowed into the province per week.

“We want them to go home especially because they have been facing a hard time, but we are balancing. We have to help fellow Filipinos there, but we also have fellow Filipinos here who need protection, including the families of OFWs and LSIs. What is important for us is that what we are doing here on our own is we try to regulate. We have an arrangement with shipping lines and airlines so that we don’t get overwhelmed. We are monitoring the list of our tests and our quarantine facilities so that we will know. For example, if we become overwhelmed, we will tell shipping lines to limit to 70, being mindful of the capacity of the quarantine facilities,” Defensor said.

He also said that the capital region’s MECQ status should entail strong border restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Metro Manila reverted to MECQ starting Aug 4, 2020, due to the consistently rising number of COVID-19 cases.

Meanwhile, Western Visayas has been under Modified General CQ since June 1, 2020.

“When you are under MECQ, that is one of the consequences because it is a recognition of the seriousness of the incidence and transmission of COVID-19. With those considerations, what should a quarantine unit under MECQ do? The general rule is to close the borders, because that is a quarantine area. There are exceptions, like for soldiers, policemen, doctors, and other necessary people. The travel to lower levels of community quarantine should be prohibited because you don’t want the disease to spread,” the governor said.

On Tuesday, Presidential Management Staff chief Joseph Encabo revealed to Teleradyo that they had appealed to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to include LSIs under the exemptions from MECQ restrictions so that the Hatid Tulong program can continue.

Encabo is the head convenor of Hatid Tulong, the national government’s signature program for LSI repatriations across the country.

The program was commenced over criticisms of LSIs being crammed inside the Rizal Stadium in Malate, Manila.

LSIs have since been regrouped and relocated to several temporary shelters around the capital region.