Mayor appeals for better coordination on repatriations

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Mayor Evelio Leonardia appealed to concerned national government agencies for better coordination on the repatriation of locally stranded individuals (LSIs), returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs), and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

Leonardia made the appeal during an online consultation meeting hosted by the Department of National Defense Friday.

Leonardia said the online consultation focused on the repatriation of OFWs and LSIs and was presided over by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and attended by the secretaries of the DILG, DOTr, DOLE, and several local chief executives.

Leonardia lamented the unpredictable and erratic arrivals of returnees which he said “are a big burden to the local action teams.”

“We request for a system to organize returning OFWs based on their point of destination,” Leonardia said.

He also requested for advance information regarding the details of the returnees three days before their arrival to enable the LGUs to prepare and organize things at their end.