DILG to stranded workers: ‘Stay where you are’ until Luzon-wide quarantine is over

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Saturday reminded stranded workers to stop returning to their home provinces and “stay where you are” since they could pose health risks to their families.

DILG spokesman and Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said workers, who are not deemed frontliners under the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine guidelines, must remain in their current locations since they could be carriers of the new coronavirus disease. Malaya warned that insisting on their plan to go back to their home provinces might just result in the infection of their love ones.

“Hindi na po allowed ‘yung pag-uwi sa probinsya ngayon. Isipin ninyo po kung meron kayong dalang sakit, dinadala ninyo ang inyong sakit sa inyong pamilya. To protect your family, stay where you are at tapusin na natin itong lockdown na ito,” Malaya said in a Laging Handa press briefing.

(Going back to the provinces is no longer allowed. Think of what will happen to your families if you are a carrier of the respiratory disease. To protect your family, stay where you are until this lockdown is over.)

Malaya said law enforcers would strictly implement the guidelines at checkpoints for the enhanced community quarantine that overs the whole of Luzon.

“Huwag muna kayo umuwi at dagdag pa sa problema ng mga local government units dun sa mga dinadaanan niyong lugar,” he said.

(Don’t go home yet and don’t add to the problem of local government units.)

Under the guidelines of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases, only essential workers such as those in the medical field, funeral services, emergency responders, security services, banks and groceries, media personnel, and government officials are allowed movement while the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon is in effect.

As of March 27, nationwide tally of the Department of Health showed that 803 people are now infected with COVID-19. Of which, 31 were able to recover while 54 died.

KGA