By Marjaleen Ramos and Raymund Antonio Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III announced on Monday that over 24,000 OFWs under mandatory quarantine and whose tests are negative will be sent home starting May 25 to 27, 2020. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III
(ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) "Napag-utusan kami ni President Duterte na pauwiin na po itong 24,000 na ito dahil nagdaan na po sila sa 14-day quarantine, na RCT-PCR sila, maliwanag na negative sila ng COVID-19," Bello said in an interview with DZMM Teleradyo. “We will not wait for the one week period na utos  ng Pangulo. Tapusin po natin at the rate of 8,000 per day (as ordered by the President. We will finish it at the rate of 8,000 per day),” Bello said in a separate interview over DZBB. This came after President Duterte on Monday ordered government agencies to rush the release of COVID-19 test results of over 24,000 OFWs. “Ang sabi nga ng ating Pangulo, ‘tiyakin nyo ang kalusugan at kalagayan ng ating mga OFWs at nami-miss ng mga pamilya ’yan tapos hindi n’yo tinutulungan.‘ Kaya pipilitin namin ngayon ipauwi na sila (Like what our President said, ‘you’ve to ensure the health and well-being of our OFWs. They are being missed by their families and you are not helping them.’ So we are trying now to bring them home),” he said. "Sa loob ng tatlong araw pipilitin namin mapauwi lahat itong 24,000 by land, by seas, and by air," Bello added. The OFWs had to endure the long confinement in quarantine facilities beyond the mandatory 14-day isolation period due to the delay in the release of their coronavirus test results. Bello said they have coordinated with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and manning agencies to fast-track the process. “The transportation facilities are now ready,”  he said. "Susunduin sila ngayon ng DOTr , OWWA , at PCG sa kani kanilang hotel. Dadalhin sila sa PITX at sa NAIA 3. Doon sila sasakay sa eroplano at bus at papunta na sila sa kani-kanilang probinsya," the labor secretary said. OWWA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said efforts are underway to bring the OFWs to their home provinces, with 3,500 flights per day. Starting on May 25, Monday, bus trips to Bicol, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, CAR, and Central Luzon will be made available while flights to Cagayan de Oro, Tacloban, Bacolod, Davao, Cebu, Iloilo and Zamboanga will be arranged for flights until Wednesday. Cacdac expressed confidence that they can bring home the repatriated OFWs ahead of the deadline. ”Kakayanin kasi sapat iyong 3,500 flights a day at saka the boats and buses (We can handle this because the 3,500 flights a day are enough, including the boats and buses),” he said.