Sen. Christopher Go (Photo from his office)
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go urged the executive branch on Wednesday to review and strengthen health and safety protocols being implemented for those traveling to provinces to avoid the further spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
“Even though community quarantine measures have been eased up in some places, let’s be strict with the rules on traveling to the provinces to avoid the spread of the disease,” Go said in Filipino.
“There are places, for example in Mindanao, where the number of COVID-19 cases is already low. We are having difficulty keeping it from spreading here in Metro Manila. Let’s not allow the disease to the provinces,” he added.
Go echoed the recommendation of various officials and stakeholders that all travel — by air, land, or sea — from one province to another should strictly comply with health and safety protocols and should have the clearance of authorities.
Testing before travel
Go also reminded authorities that passengers should be subjected to COVID-19 before they travel and the time between testing and actual departure must be limited to a shorter period as determined by health experts to ensure the reliability of test results and avoid the possible exposure of other passengers to the virus after being tested negative already.
He also urged concerned agencies to lay down convenient and efficient air, sea or land travel options with a clear schedule provided to the public in order to avoid confusion and overcrowding in terminals.
“Let’s help our countrymen who are looking for ways to get home. But let’s give them an orderly system so that they don’t hang around waiting at transportation terminals. Let’s take care of them. Give them food, a proper waiting place, and don’t allow them to crowd close together to prevent the spread of the disease,” Go said.
He also echoed the comment of Interior Secretary Eduardo Año that a systematic single dispatch system — which was adopted by the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa program during its pilot rollout last May 20— should also be implemented when transporting individuals back to their provinces.
“Balik Probinsya is a good model because it’s organized. Before they even leave Manila, their LGUs already know how many are arriving and will meet them and get them straight to quarantine. Everything is orderly. Nobody can sneak through,” the Año said in Filipino
“For our LSIs [locally stranded individuals], that’s what we want to do…. It’s really necessary to be organized and coordinated and we in the National Task Force will strive to do this. We will make sure that we will ferry our countrymen safely,” he added.
Go agreed with this, saying: “The ‘single dispatch’ system adopted by the BP2 [Balik Probinsya] implementers for people in the provinces is good because it’s more controlled and travelers will be able to avoid exposure and possible infection.”
Rescheduled implementation
With regards to the implementation of the program, the BP2 executive director, National Housing Authority General Manager Marcelino Escalada, Jr., earlier announced that the BP2 council had decided to reschedule the subsequent rollouts of BP2 to give way to the implementation of Hatid Tulong initiatives.
Given this, Go also urged executive agencies mandated to implement the BP2 program to use this time to conduct a thorough review, taking into consideration the health and safety measures that should be implemented.
“Its implementation has been suspended,” he said. “This will give more time for receiving LGUs to prepare their communities for the return of BP2 beneficiaries. We have enough time to polish, stud, and review the necessary guidelines and seek wisdom from other LGUs prior to implementing the BP2 program.”
On Monday, June 22, Go also issued a statement urging the executive branch to conduct a thorough review of the implementation of Hatid Tulong initiatives aimed at helping locally stranded individuals, overseas Filipino workers and, other affected Filipinos who wish to return to their provinces amid the ongoing global pandemic.
Ensuring a safe return to their hometowns
Go stressed that aside from proper health and safety protocols that should be in place in the implementation of these initiatives, proper coordination must also be conducted to make sure that receiving local government units would readily accept their constituents.
“If some LGUs are not willing to accept their countrymen, let’s not allow them to travel. Let’s first make sure of the capability of LGUs to test, quarantine, and take care of our countrymen before allowing them to go home,” he said.
Go also asked the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to impose stricter measures to stop unauthorized travel and unsanctioned Hatid initiatives reportedly conducted by various LGUs and groups that did not comply with health protocols.
“Whoever is allowed to travel should make sure to follow all health protocols — testing, health certificate, face mask, social distancing, 14-day quarantine, isolation for positive cases, etc..,” he explained.
Go said that since Hatid Tulong was a directive from the President, it would be important to ensure it proper implementation.
In an address to the nation on Monday night, President Rodrigo Duterte reminded LGUs to accept returning residents, saying: “It’s unacceptable that our countrymen could not go home. It is their right to go home, to live or die there. You can’t deny that from Filipinos.”
Previously, Duterte reiterated the same policy, with this promise to LGUs: “Whatever you need, we will provide. Have pity on them. Let’s help our fellow Filipinos.”
Go echoed the same sentiment, saying: “I want to remind everyone that we cannot deny Filipinos their right to return to their hometowns. It’s the obligation of LGUs to accept and take care of their residents. I just hope that they do this in a safe way so that we don’t add to the crisis we are facing.”
Go said he welcomed calls from various experts and stakeholders to review any program of the government, including the Balik Probinsya Program and Hatid Tulong initiative.
“After all, our collective goal is to make the whole government more responsive to the rapidly changing concerns brought by the global health crisis,” he said.
“As chairman of Senate Committee on Health, I always remind our agencies to follow the right process and to have the right coordination, especially with local governments, so that they would always take into consideration the lives and safety of people,” he added.
/atm