After stranded mom’s death, Pasay LGU helps over 400 stranded individuals

Stranded in Manila for months caused by enhanced community quarantine imposed to contain the coronavirus pandemic, Mary Ann Cayog from Davao Oriental cries as she talks to her mother over the phone while waiting for flight outside Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City for more than 3 days on June 10, 2020. RICHARD A. REYES / INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines — Pasay government on Saturday said it assisted more than 400 locally stranded individuals (LSIs) staying at the Villamor Air Base Elementary School and Philippine State College of Aeronautics days after Michelle Silvertino died while waiting for a bus ride to Camarines Sur.

The local government said it distributed food packs to 461 stranded individuals including overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and those who need to travel to their provinces.

“Food and some other essentials are provided to them by the Pasay LGU and National Government Agencies (NGAs), and including Civic Groups,” read the statement from Pasay Public Information Office.

Stranded individuals were initially camping out under the  Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) expressway while waiting for rides going to their provinces but were transferred to PSCA and Villamor Air Base Elementary School as ordered by Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano.

Rubiano, meanwhile, urged local government units to accept returning passengers, noting that the government required passengers to have medical certificates and travel authority when going to their homes.

“Dapat tanggapin, kasi napag-usapan na iyan sa  National Task Force … tutal, bago iyan nakakuha ng travel pass ay meron nang medical certificate mula sa syudad na pinanggalingan,” Rubiano said.

(They should accept them because it was already discussed in the National Task Force. Passengers need to have a travel pass and medical certificate from their place of origin.)

Previous reports say hundreds of workers and locally stranded individuals were forced to stay in the vicinity of Naia as they wait for flights going to their provinces.

Silvertino, a 33-year-old single mother who left behind four children, died at the Pasay General Hospital after police found her unconscious at a footbridge. Silvertino’s mother, Marlyn, said policemen and soldiers guarding the footbridge ignored Silvertino’s request for help.