The Inter Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has been asked to allow the Hatid Tulong initiative to continue while Mega Manila is under the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).
Assistant Secretary Joseph Encabo, lead convener of Hatid Tulong program, said he has sought the IATF for travel exemptions for the remaining locally stranded individuals (LSIs), particularly those at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
“Kung ma i-grant ‘yung exemption ng IATF, dahil nasa MECQ po tayo sa ka-Maynilan, agad agad ay gagawan po namin ng schedule at i-fa-facilitate po natin ‘yung transportation na gagamitin para sa kanila (If the IATF grants the exemption, we will schedule the trip and arrange the transportation right away),” Encabo told DZMM Teleradyo.
Encabo said there are still around 20 LSIs remaining at the sports complex.
“Ang pagkakaintindi nila, ang Rizal Memorial SPorts Complex po ang tanggapan ng LSIs. Pinaliwanag ko po na nagkataon lang na ang Rizal Memorial ay nagingvenue ng send-off at di po ito tanggapan (They thought the Rizal Memorial SPorts Complex was the center for LSIs. I clarified with them that it was just a venue for the send off),” Encabo said.
Encabo asked the remaining LSIs to be patient as the government currently has limited transportation.
He added that the transportation units which were used during the last send off on July 25 and July 26 had just come back and had to undergo disinfection.
He also said they still need to coordinate with the respective LGUs of the LSIs to make sure that they are ready to accept them.