Only 1,200 repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) daily will be accepted in airports to address the influx of returning Filipinos because of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and avoid overcrowding in quarantine centers in Metro Manila.
In President Duterte’s public address on Thursday night which was aired on Friday morning, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana reported that they can increase the number up to 2,000 individuals daily depending on the easing of facilities.
“Ang pinagtutuunan namin ng pansin ngayon ‘yung repatriation pa rin ng mga OFWs tsaka seafarers kasi ayaw natin maulit ang nangyari noong nakaraang buwan na naipon sila sa Manila at may inabot pa ng isang buwan,” said Lorenzana, who is also the chairperson of the National Action Plan (NAP) on COVID-19.
“I-control lang natin ang pagdating siguro 1,200 a day. Kung medyo lumuwag pa we can increase to 1,500 or 2,000 para mabilis ang ating processing,” he added.
According to Lorenzana, he met with Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Ano, and Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. among other concerned officials to fix the system for returning OFWs.
Lorenzana said returning OFWs can now expect faster results of their COVID-19 test as authorities aimed to send them home them within five days.
“Kapag dumating ‘yung OFW, maximum araw na manatili sila sa Manila ay limang araw lang. It could be less but the maximum is five days,” he said.
He assured the President that there are enough testing facilities in Metro Manila to facilitate the mandatory testing of the returning OFWs.
Citing Bello, Lorenzana said around 42,000 more OFWs are expected to come home in the coming weeks. (Martin A. Sadongdong)
