Mandatory quarantine for OFWs regardless of test results

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

The more than 100 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) from Panay Island and Guimaras who were repatriated from Metro Manila will undergo mandatory 14-day quarantine even if they test negative for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

This is according to Western Visayas Regional Task Force on COVID-19 (WVRTF) spokesperson Atty. Roy Villa.

The OFWs arrived at the Port of Iloilo in Iloilo City morning of April 29, 2020.

They were stranded due to the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) enforced by President Rodrigo Duterte over Luzon since March 16. The ECQ included the suspension of domestic travel.

Villa said national government and local government unit (LGU) personnel fetched the OFWs.

He added that they had been tested for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) while in Manila before travelling to Iloilo.

“As soon as they arrive, when they reached the pier, our government agency personnel were already there. The place was secured. Our local government unit representatives were there. Our [WVRTF] and [the Office of Civil Defense] were also there. After they arrived there, we secured their papers that showed that they tested negative [for COVID-19] when they left Manila and before they had went up the vessel, they had their [test results] and their papers showing that they were OFWs,” he said.

He said that after they had been inspected, those from Aklan, Antique and Capiz were transported back to their provinces, where they will be undergoing mandatory quarantine in dedicated facilities.

They will also be tested using Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction [RT-PCR] upon their arrival.

Villa said that the OFWs will have to complete the 14-day quarantine even if their RT-PCR tests will yield negative results to ensure that there will be no further infections from the OFWs.

“That is the position of our Mayor (Jerry Treñas) and our Governor (Arthur Defensor Jr.). But yesterday, our consensus at the WVRTF was that we test them and even if it turns out to be negative, they will still have to observe the 14-day quarantine so we can be sure. It’s better that we go beyond our minimum requirements rather than below them. We understand that the people want to make sure that there would be on infections coming from our OFWs,” he said.

Villa the arrangement was already cleared with the LGUs.

“Those who were residents of Aklan, Antique and Capiz were being taken to their own LGUs, where they will be undergoing quarantine which is required of them, and they will also be required to undergo testing before they are allowed to go home to their families and integrate with their communities. We have no problems with the LGUs in these provinces. They will accept and they will allow our OFWs there to enter because they had been cleared with the [WVRTF] that they can go home to their provinces, subject to certain guidelines and protocol which need to be observed,” he said.

In a press conference on Wednesday at the Iloilo City Hall, Mayor Treñas said OFWs who will test negative should be allowed to return home as it makes no sense for them to stay.

“If the swab [tests] are negative, there is no sense requiring them to stay unless they want to stay on their own, that they want to stay in the city, but there is no sense in requiring them, and they can immediately go back to their families. Not sure if they should be home quarantined, I will wait for the doctors on that, but if it were up to me, they’re already negative. I will wait for the doctors to say that to them,” he said.

OFWs from Iloilo and Guimaras were taken to an undisclosed hotel in Iloilo City for their tests and 14-day quarantine.

“Those from Iloilo City and Iloilo province, together with those from Guimaras, have been billeted at a hotel for a 14-day quarantine. They are quarantined at one hotel here in Iloilo City. I’m sorry but [the WVRTF’s] consensus yesterday, because of the sensitivity of the issue, I refrain to disclose the name of the hotel. But all of them are billeted at only one hotel here in the city,” he said.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) earlier said that several hotels have expressed their interest to temporarily house the OFWs – Goldberry Hotel in City Proper, GT Hotels in City Proper and Jaro districts, Injap Tower Hotel, J7 and J7 Plaza Hotels in Mandurriao district and Urban Inn in La Paz district.