INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
LEGAZPI CITY – Over 200 Bicolanos marooned in Metro Manila due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic made it back home through special Philippine National Railways (PNR) train trips, the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) in Bicol said on Friday.
PNR tapped its “Bicol Express” sleeper coach and the EMU coaches in transporting the stranded Bicolanos.
Amber Mirandilla, PMS acting regional director, said over two hundred LSIs in Manila availed of the “Hatid Probinsiya” program, a joint undertaking of the PMS, PNR, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and the national government.
Mirandilla said the second batch of 117 LSIs arrived on Thursday (June 25) while the first batch (117 individuals) arrived last June 20.
The stranded Bicolanos disembarked at Ragay Station, Libmanan Station, Naga City and Iriga City Stations and Ligao City Station.
They will undergo screening and quarantine by the receiving local government units (LGUs) before being finally being allowed to return to their communities.
Prior to departure at the Tutuban Terminal in Manila, the coaches were thoroughly disinfected, Mirandilla said.