LGUs told to grant returning OFWs unhampered transit

MANILA, Philippines – Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, spokesperson of the country’s coronavirus disease (COVID-19) inter-agency task force, on Monday enjoined local government units (LGUs) to allow the unhampered transit of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) already cleared by the Department of Health (DOH).

“LGUs are also strongly enjoined to allow the unhampered transit of OFWs that have been issued DOH or LGU certificate of completion of 14-day facility-based quarantine, or those who may be required by the DOH or LGUs to undergo a mandatory 14-day home quarantine,” Nograles said in a virtual press briefing.

Thousands of OFWs from countries affected by the coronavirus pandemic have so far returned home with some mandated to undergo a facility-based quarantine while others were told to undergo a 14-day quarantine.

“Malaki po ang sakripisyo ng ating mga OFWs. Di po sila papauwiin ng DOH kung makakahawa sila. Gusto lang nila umuwi sa kanilang tahanan,” Nograles went on.

(Our OFWs have sacrificed so much. The DOH would not allow them to go home if they think they would pose any danger. They just want to go home).

Earlier, the IATF urged LGUs to issue executive orders or ordinances prohibiting and penalizing acts of discrimination and attacks against health workers, OFWs and COVID-19 patients amid the ongoing health crisis.

“[The IATF-EID] denounces in the strongest of terms acts of discrimination inflicted upon healthcare workers, OFWs, COVID-19 cases – whether confirmed or suspected, recovered or undergoing treatment, as well as patients under investigation (PUIs) and persons under monitoring (PUMs),” Nograles said in a briefing held over the weekend.

Latest figures from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) showed that 525 overseas Filipino have contracted the disease.

Three hundred forty four are still undergoing treatment, 49have died while 132 others have so far recovered.

GSG