635 LSIs now en route to Cagayan de Oro–DOTr

Locally stranded individuals spend the night at the track and football stadium of Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila on July 27, 2020 for the 2nd batch of “Hatid Tulong program.” Last Friday, thousands of LSIs gathered at the complex in hopes that they can avail of the program that will bring them back to their home provinces due to surge of COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila that led to travel restrictions and unemployment.
INQUIRER file photo / RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines — Some 635 locally-stranded individuals in Rizal Memorial Sports Complex are set to travel to Cagayan de Oro on Wednesday, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said.

In a Facebook post from DOTr, the LSIs could be seen boarding buses that will transport them to the Port Area, Manila, after which they will board a special passenger vessel to Cagayan de Oro.

All LSIs yielded negative results on the COVID-19 rapid antibody testing.

“Said LSIs yielded negative results on the rapid antibody testing for COVID-19 and are all set for their sea voyage to Cagayan de Oro (CDO) today,” the DOTr said.

Thousands of LSIs are currently crammed inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila City, waiting to be assisted to go home to their home provinces.

They trooped to the stadium to avail of the “Hatid Tulong” program, the government’s free transportation assistance to ferry stranded individuals to their home provinces amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said about 2,000 LSIs are expected to be transported home to their provinces by July 30.

JPV