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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Palace: We're giving OFWs VIP treatment

Palace: We're giving OFWs VIP treatment

Published May 30, 2020 12:00 am
By Argyll Geducos Malacañang took exception to criticism that the government has been treating overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) like "garbage" while trying to contain the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made the statement as labor group Migrante International said the Duterte administration should stop giving "garbage-like" treatment to OFWs affected by the quarantine. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque (OPS / MANILA BULLETIN) Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque (OPS / MANILA BULLETIN) In an interview over state-run PTV-4, Roque insisted that the government is giving OFWs "VIP treatment." "Inuwi po natin lahat ng manggagawa natin. Binigyan namin ng libreng PCR testing, binigyan natin ng libreng pamasahe sa eroplano, sa bus, at sa barko (We brought home all our workers. We gave them free PCR testing, we paid for their rides on airplanes, buses, and ships)," he said Saturday (May 30). "Hindi po 'yan garbage-like treatment. VIP treatment po 'yan (That's not garbage-like treatment. That is VIP treatment)," he added. Migrante International earlier condemned the government for its "ineptitude" in handling the exodus of OFWs returning from abroad and who need to undergo quarantine as a measure against COVID-19. The group noted in a statement how OFWs complained for being stuck in Metro Manila for more than a month and for being "dumped like garbage" at the airport. "It cannot be denied that our repatriated kababayans are being made to feel the maximum brunt of the Duterte regime’s ineptitude," Migrante International wrote in its statement. The complaints from OFWs prompted Duterte early this week to order the government to expedite the return of OFWs to their hometowns, but the hasty implementation led local chief executives like Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez to hit the lack of coordination by the national government. The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has long prohibited local government units from disallowing OFWs cleared of the virus to return to their hometowns. As of Saturday morning, the government has assisted 22,426 OFWs to return to their hometowns.
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