Palace: 379 locally stranded individuals sent home

MANILA, Philippines — At least 379 locally stranded individuals (LSIs) have been sent home following the government’s vow to assist all stranded Filipinos amid the limited transportation due to the coronavirus lockdown.

In a televised press briefing in Malacañang on Monday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said 764 LSIs have been transferred to the Villamor Air Base Elementary School as of Sunday morning.

Of the number, 379 were assisted for transport while 385 were still waiting for their ride home.

Roque added that 150 LSIs were sent home to Davao and General Santos City via OPV BRP Gabriela Silang while another 150 were ferried by a Cebu Pacific flight bound for Davao.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) also distributed sanitary kits and financial assistance to the stranded Filipinos.

“Sa panig naman po ng DSWD, sila ay nakapag-distribute na ng 633 sleeping kits at 633 sanitary kits sa mga Locally Stranded Individuals sa Villamor Airbase Elementary School as of June 14. Nagbigay din po ang DSWD ng P2,000 financial assistance sa bawat isa sa 539 Locally Stranded Individuals,” Roque said.

(For its part, DSWD distributed 633 sleeping kits and 633 sanitary kits to the Locally Stranded Individuals at Villamor Airbase Elementary School as of June 14. DSWD also provided P2,000 financial assistance to each to 539 Locally Stranded Individuals.)

Meanwhile, the Palace official also reported that a total of 50,105 repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have returned to their home regions as of June 15.

Malacañang earlier vowed to assist locally stranded Filipinos following the death of Michelle Silvertino, who was declared dead on arrival at the Pasay City General Hospital (PCGH) on June 5 after living on a footbridge along EDSA-Pasay for days in the hopes of catching a bus ride to Bicol.

Silvertino’s death certificate said she was a probable (severe) new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) case.