Iloilo mayors to appeal ‘risky policy’ on ROFs

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

 

The League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) Iloilo Chapter will ask the National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF) today, Sept. 4, 2020 to reconsider several provisions of its Aug. 19, 2020 order on the handling of Returning Overseas Filipinos (ROF) in light of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

In a phone interview, LMP Iloilo President Trixie Fernandez of San Enrique town told Daily Guardian that the LMP will issue a resolution appealing Sections 7.5.2 and 7.5.3 of the said order.

These provisions mandate local COVID-19 task forces to ferry ROFs from the port of entry directly to their homes, and no longer subject ROFs to local health protocols.

The order also provides that ROFs will be brought to temporary quarantine facilities, only to be released for delivery to their homes if they test negative for COVID-19 via Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) upon their arrival.

Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr.’s Executive Order No. 128, as amended, requires a 14-day mandatory facility quarantine for arriving ROFs.

Fernandez said that local government units (LGU) in the province have deemed the provisions as “dangerous”, given the current COVID-19 situation.

Data from the Department of Health indicated that as of Sept. 3, 2020, Iloilo province has had a total of 486 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 232 active cases, 238 recoveries, and 16 deaths.

“The LGUs aren’t comfortable [with these provisions] because of the dangers of the policy to direct home quarantine. We already know that home quarantine may most likely be violated because there isn’t adequate home quarantine areas, and we really can’t avoid the [scenario of] ROFs going out [of the home] when they are asymptomatic. The risk is still there if we bring them directly,” Fernandez said.

The mayor added that there have already been instances when returnees tested positive upon arrival despite being negative before departing the port of origin.

“There are many instances in the past, that those who tested negative in Manila, when they arrive, and we do swab tests, many of them become positive. Most likely they got [COVID-19] enroute, while travelling, by socializing with their fellows there,” Fernandez added.

She added further that Section 7.5.4 of the order, which provides that ROFs should inform LGUs if they show signs and symptoms, may also cause greater risks.

“If they manifest [signs and symptoms], then they would contact us. It would be easy if there was an [accessible] hospital in the area. Right now, it’s difficult to be confined in a hospital. Looking forward, if we will allow this, what if they develop symptoms and by the time they call us, other people in their homes already get sick? That would derail our contact tracing,” the mayor also added.

She said that they do not entirely oppose the order but are merely asking the NTF to reconsider the provisions for the safety of the residents.

“We are not insisting [on the 14-day quarantine], but we are appealing. We want [the NTF] to hear us out on why we are asking for this. We are not opposing, because ‘opposing’ may be too harsh. Our point here is that, for the safety of the community, their family, and their own household, it would be better for them to go through the quarantine facilities and not send them directly to their homes,” the mayor said.

The mayors, according to Fernandez, are being “proactive” in responding to the COVID-19 situation, and that the provision in Section 7.5.4 would render them “reactive” instead.

She added that authorities have to understand the sentiments on the ground, that local leaders are only trying to prevent an outbreak in their places from occurring.

“We are being proactive in responding to the situation. If the ROFs would just tell us that they are sick, then we would be reactive. They have to understand that we are already facing many challenges on the ground. If there would be an outbreak later, we wouldn’t know what to do. If those in the households who are immunocompromised would be hit, we would have a bigger problem there. This is a situation that we are trying to prevent,” she said.

Fernandez said that most mayors will continue to implement their normal procedures for the ROFs while awaiting the response to their appeal.

 

‘STATUS QUO’

The status of the NTF order’s implementation in the region remains unclear as of Sept. 4.

The Western Visayas Regional Task Force on COVID-19 (WVRTF) on Friday said it would “maintain status quo” in the region while awaiting clarifications on the order.

In a phone interview, WVRTF spokesperson Aletha Nogra told Daily Guardian that the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) will continue to do “what they have been practicing”.

Nogra added that LGUs will be given the discretion if ROFs who would test negative via RT-PCR must complete their 14-day quarantine.

“With regard to the management of the ROFs, which is under the OWWA, we would maintain the status quo, that is, whatever we have been practicing before, we would continue to do that. That’s what the OWWA-6 agreed. Upon arrival, they would be fetched and be brought to the quarantine facility to be swabbed. If they test negative, they can immediately go home, but it will depend on the LGU whether or not they would complete the 14-day quarantine,” Nogra said.