OFWs, LSIs are priority once Iloilo Airport reopens

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. on Thursday said the province will prioritize the return of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) and Locally Stranded Individuals (LSI) once the Iloilo International Airport in Cabatuan town resumes commercial operations.

In a press conference, Defensor said it would be better for the province to do this first, knowing that there is still the risk posed by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

“When the flights will open first, it will be dedicated to OFWs and LSIs so we can focus. That is what we want for the next flights because we are not expecting tourists anyway. It would be better for us to be organized because we are thinking about this carefully,” Defensor said.

The governor expressed his concern over procedures for LSIs, who do not undergo standard testing using the Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR).

LSIs are residents of the province who are stranded in other parts of the country.

He cited the latest case of an OFW in Janiuay town who was tested using RT-PCR in Manila before returning to the province.

“LSIs are not required to undergo [RT-PCR] testing from their point of origin, which is what I requested from [National Task Force on COVID-19 Chief Implementer] Secretary [Carlito] Galvez, especially those coming from high-risk areas and areas with confirmed local transmission. If there still wouldn’t be [RT-PCR], we want this to be ironed out with proper handling, from fetching to quarantine because of their point of origin,” the governor said.

Defensor said LSIs have to coordinate with the Philippine National Police and the local government unit (LGU) where they are currently staying in, which will then coordinate with the provincial government.

As regards the re-opening of the Iloilo International Airport, Defensor said that he was advised by Galvez to “reckon with LGUs”.

“What Secretary Galvez told us was that we must reckon with the local government units. We are under quarantine, and the OFWs and LSIs are coming from a quarantine area,” he said.

According to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, around 1,000 Ilonggo LSIs are being coordinated by other LGUs in the country with the capitol.

Around 1,227 OFWs have arrived and most of them have returned home.

Daily Guardian has reached out to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines to confirm the final date of the airport’s reopening, but it has yet to respond.