MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Sunday advised local government units (LGUs) to provide returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) with additional safety measures and ensure their safety against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) during travel.
In a statement, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said that the COVID-19 testing “reflects the person’s health status only at the time of testing.”
“Between the time a test is conducted and the time of arrival of an OFW or anyone traveling, the possibility of infection remains,” he added.
The Palace spokesman also advised the LGUs to “exercise all the precautions advised by health authorities during travel.”
“Additional safety measures at the provincial or LGU level are likewise necessary to ensure that one is truly healthy and devoid of COVID-19,” Roque added.
Roque made the statement after it was reported that some OFWs, who were assisted by the government, tested positive for COVID-19 on their return to their respective hometowns.
Among those reported were cases from Negros Occidental and Bacolod City.
Currently, the Philippines has 21,895 COVID-19 cases, with 1,003 deaths and 4,530 recoveries.