Repatriation flights halted

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

 

The Iloilo provincial government on June 26, 2020 again suspended Iloilo-bound flights carrying Locally-Stranded Individuals (LSI) who now account for more than half of confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in Western Visayas.

The order of Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. to suspend all flights followed the announcement of National Task Force on COVID-19 (NTF) Deputy Chief Vince Dizon on Thursday that LSI repatriations would be immediately suspended.

LSIs will also be required to undergo COVID-19 testing using the Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) method before travelling home.

LSIs who already left Manila yesterday via sea vessels will be allowed to enter Iloilo, provided they follow health protocols of the province and their local government units (LGU).

Defensor said in a radio interview that the LGU-run quarantine facilities in the province are almost filled up because of the influx of LSIs in recent weeks.

“We’re looking at our figures, there is still space, but it has already been critical, because there have been many arrivals. Quarantine facilities can still accommodate, but it would be better if the numbers were manageable,” Defensor said.

The governor however, was unable to provide the numbers of quarantined LSIs and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in the province.

OFWs, according to the governor, may still return to Iloilo through sweeper flights organized by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

The governor also made this appeal to LSIs in a press briefing.

“I am asking for understanding and cooperation because our government, including the provincial government, we’re just doing everything in consideration because we’re facing a problem. We want you to be able to go home to your families, but we have to consider because of COVID-19, and we also want to protect your families,” he said.

Daily Guardian has reached out to Provincial Health Officer Dr. Patricia Grace Trabado for quarantine data as of this writing, but she has yet to respond.

 

 

APPEAL TO NATIONAL GOVERNMENT

In an interview with Aksyon Radyo Iloilo, Passi City Mayor Stephen Palmares suggested that the national government should reconsider its system in repatriating OFWs and LSIs.

Palmares said the city is still ready to accommodate LSIs and OFWs as they allocated 250 slots in schools. They also tapped hotels if the schools are not enough.

Palmares said that the most challenging concern for the LGUs is the maintenance of quarantine facilities, including the cost of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and food for the staff and the patients.

“The national government should reconsider their system of repatriations. They should coordinate with the receiving LGUs, like we should dictate how much we can accommodate. This isn’t just about quarantine facilities. We’re also talking about food and PPEs. It’s very costly. If we don’t plan this out, our quarantine facilities may be exhausted,” Palmares said.

The mayor also nixed the idea of home quarantine for returnees.

“Later, if the national government will declare to allow home quarantine, that would be difficult because we can’t monitor properly,” he said.

Despite his appeal, Palmares said that he was “happy” with their current preparations against COVID-19.

“Here in Passi City, I am very happy that we have prepared. Although I cannot say whether or not we are fully prepared, but rest assured, I can tell my constituents, that we have set-up quarantine facilities and right now, we have around more than 70 OFWs and LSIs quarantined in our facility. We are okay as of now,” he said.

In Dumangas, Iloilo, Mayor Ronaldo Golez said he directed barangays to use the daycare centers and rural health units as quarantine facilities.

On top of the 16 facilities managed by the municipal government, more than 30 barangay-based facilities are ready for the repatriates.

“All in all, we can accommodate 250 repatriates at one time. We have accepted 300 LSIs and about 30 are still in quarantine,” Golez said.

Golez said they provided food packs to the families of quarantined LSIs and they also ordered PPEs for the barangays.