Lorenzana suspends transport of LSIs to Western, Eastern Visayas
Published Jun 28, 2020 12:00 am
By Martin Sadongdong and Leslie Ann Aquino
Locally stranded individuals (LSIs) in Metro Manila who are set to return to Western Visayas (Region 6) and Eastern Visayas (Region 8) will have to wait longer as the transport of LSIs was temporarily suspended in the two regions beginning Sunday, June 28.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana (Office of the Secretary of National Defense / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, chairman of the National Action Plan on coronavirus disease (NAP COVID-19), confirmed that he approved a twoweek moratorium on the return of LSIs to Negros Occidental and Iloilo, and in Eastern Visayas which saw an alarming increase in the number of new infections recently.
“We have to this because the LSIs are the ones bringing the virus to the provinces. The data from Bacolod and Iloilo City bear this out,” Lorenzana said.
As of Saturday, a total of 245 cases were recorded in Western Visayas, of which, Bacolod and Iloilo cities registered 35 and 46 cases, respectively, according to the data tracker of the Department of Health (DOH).
Specifically, the main ports in Negros Occidental and Iloilo were prevented from accepting returning individuals as these are where LSIs are mainly received, Lorenzana said.
In Eastern Visayas, a total of 334 cases were listed, with Leyte province having the most cases at 146, followed by Samar (Western Samar) with 67, Southern Leyte with 45, and Ormoc City with 39.
“For Region 8, the whole region because apart from air and water transport, it also gets LSIs by land transport,” Lorenzana said.
He said local chief executives in the two regions requested the suspension of the transport of LSIs.
“We will have to come up with a better procedure to prevent this from happening,” he said.
Aside from this, another problem seen by Lorenzana is the reluctance of some local government units (LGUs) to receive the LSIs.
“We have to get the LGUs to agree to receive them. Their problem is that their quarantine facilities are limited and they don’t want to be overwhelmed,” he said.
As such, LSIs headed to Western and Visayas regions were told not to go to airports or seaports to avoid overcrowding and the possible transmission of the virus.
“They have to wait where they are. They should not go to the airport or seaport,” he said.
Return of remains of OFWs
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III is hoping to fly home the remains of 301 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) before the July 4 deadline set by the Saudi government for their repatriation.
“We were given a deadline of July 4, so we hope to bring them back before that deadline,” he said yesterday.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) had earlier reported that preparations are underway to bring home the dead OFWs, including the 152 who died of COVID 19.
The Labor chief was able to secure the approval of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the repatriation of the deceased OFWs including those who succumbed to COVID-19.
According to DOLE, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration will charter two flights from Riyadh and Jeddah where the bodies will be transported from various regions in Saudi Arabia before they are flown back to the Philippines.
The Labor Department said the Department of Health is expected to issue the protocols to be observed in the handling, reception, and domestic transport of the remains.
Upon arrival in the country, Bello said, the bodies of COVID-19 victims will be transported with the help of the Department of National Defense directly to the crematoriums of choice of the family or local government units.
The remains of those who died of natural or other causes, on the other hand, will be allowed to be fetched at the airport by their respective families.
Bello said the government is ready to serve more returning OFWs displaced by the COVID-19 pandemic
He welcomed the assurance of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to allow more airlines to fly for OFW repatriation.
“With CAAP’s permission, we can now bring home more OFWs so they can find refuge in their own country and be reunited with their families,” Bello said.
He told CAAP not to worry about the arrival of more OFWs because DOLE is more than ready to accommodate them.
“We now have systems to locate and track OFWs so that while they signify their intention of flying home, preparations for them are already being made such as testing, hotel accommodation, and transport service to their places of origin,” Bello said.
The labor chief was referring to the OFW Assistance Information System (OASIS) of DOLE developed to locate migrant workers and help government prepare the needs of returning OFWs.
“What’s important is the readiness of the government to provide prompt and appropriate service for our OFWs,” said Bello.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana (Office of the Secretary of National Defense / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, chairman of the National Action Plan on coronavirus disease (NAP COVID-19), confirmed that he approved a twoweek moratorium on the return of LSIs to Negros Occidental and Iloilo, and in Eastern Visayas which saw an alarming increase in the number of new infections recently.
“We have to this because the LSIs are the ones bringing the virus to the provinces. The data from Bacolod and Iloilo City bear this out,” Lorenzana said.
As of Saturday, a total of 245 cases were recorded in Western Visayas, of which, Bacolod and Iloilo cities registered 35 and 46 cases, respectively, according to the data tracker of the Department of Health (DOH).
Specifically, the main ports in Negros Occidental and Iloilo were prevented from accepting returning individuals as these are where LSIs are mainly received, Lorenzana said.
In Eastern Visayas, a total of 334 cases were listed, with Leyte province having the most cases at 146, followed by Samar (Western Samar) with 67, Southern Leyte with 45, and Ormoc City with 39.
“For Region 8, the whole region because apart from air and water transport, it also gets LSIs by land transport,” Lorenzana said.
He said local chief executives in the two regions requested the suspension of the transport of LSIs.
“We will have to come up with a better procedure to prevent this from happening,” he said.
Aside from this, another problem seen by Lorenzana is the reluctance of some local government units (LGUs) to receive the LSIs.
“We have to get the LGUs to agree to receive them. Their problem is that their quarantine facilities are limited and they don’t want to be overwhelmed,” he said.
As such, LSIs headed to Western and Visayas regions were told not to go to airports or seaports to avoid overcrowding and the possible transmission of the virus.
“They have to wait where they are. They should not go to the airport or seaport,” he said.
Return of remains of OFWs
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III is hoping to fly home the remains of 301 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) before the July 4 deadline set by the Saudi government for their repatriation.
“We were given a deadline of July 4, so we hope to bring them back before that deadline,” he said yesterday.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) had earlier reported that preparations are underway to bring home the dead OFWs, including the 152 who died of COVID 19.
The Labor chief was able to secure the approval of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the repatriation of the deceased OFWs including those who succumbed to COVID-19.
According to DOLE, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration will charter two flights from Riyadh and Jeddah where the bodies will be transported from various regions in Saudi Arabia before they are flown back to the Philippines.
The Labor Department said the Department of Health is expected to issue the protocols to be observed in the handling, reception, and domestic transport of the remains.
Upon arrival in the country, Bello said, the bodies of COVID-19 victims will be transported with the help of the Department of National Defense directly to the crematoriums of choice of the family or local government units.
The remains of those who died of natural or other causes, on the other hand, will be allowed to be fetched at the airport by their respective families.
Bello said the government is ready to serve more returning OFWs displaced by the COVID-19 pandemic
He welcomed the assurance of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to allow more airlines to fly for OFW repatriation.
“With CAAP’s permission, we can now bring home more OFWs so they can find refuge in their own country and be reunited with their families,” Bello said.
He told CAAP not to worry about the arrival of more OFWs because DOLE is more than ready to accommodate them.
“We now have systems to locate and track OFWs so that while they signify their intention of flying home, preparations for them are already being made such as testing, hotel accommodation, and transport service to their places of origin,” Bello said.
The labor chief was referring to the OFW Assistance Information System (OASIS) of DOLE developed to locate migrant workers and help government prepare the needs of returning OFWs.
“What’s important is the readiness of the government to provide prompt and appropriate service for our OFWs,” said Bello.