Gov’t caught off guard by influx of marooned individuals in NCR,  Palace admits

Locally stranded individuals (LSIs) were brought to Villamor Air Base Elementary School (VABES) in Pasay City while awaiting flights to their provinces. Other LSIs were sheltered at the Philippine State College of Aeronautics also in Pasay City. (INQUIRER PHOTO/LYN RILLON)

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Tuesday admitted that the government was caught off guard by the sudden influx of locally stranded individuals (LSIs) in Metro Manila following the easing of coronavirus lockdown measures.

“Iyong mga locally stranded individuals po kasi ‘no, ito po ay something na talagang bigla na lang nangyari, hindi gaya ng OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) na napaghandaan natin,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an interview on GMA’s Unang Hirit.

(The influx of locally stranded individuals really happened suddenly, this is not the case for the repatriated OFWs where we are able to prepare and assist them.)

Roque made the pronouncement after National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr., during a streamed meeting with President Duterte and other members of the Cabinet on Monday night, bared that 66 new COVID-19 cases in Region VIII were LSIs from Metro Manila.

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 staying on a footbridge along EDSA-Pasay for days while hoping to book a trip to the Bicol region.

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

Her case reflects the transportation woes experienced by many workers stranded in Luzon who scrambled to catch a ride home after the government eased lockdown measures in Metro Manila and allowed the limited the operation of public transportation units.

On Monday, Roque announced that 379 LSIs have already been sent home while 385 more are staying at the Villamor Air Base Elementary School.

“So sinisikap po natin na lahat ng locally stranded individuals ay mabigyan din ng either PCR or rapid test bago sila pauwiin,” the Palace official said.

(So we are trying to ensure that all locally stranded individuals will be given either a PCR or rapid test before returning home.)

“Kinakailangan mag-ingat iyong mga tao na nanggagaling sa Metro Manila dahil baka sila po ay potential na magkalat ng sakit,” he added.

(People coming from Metro Manila need to be careful because they may be carriers of the disease.)

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