Sweeper flights bring 366 returning OFWs to Bacolod
Published May 27, 2020 12:00 am
By Glazyl Masculino
BACOLOD CITY - A total of 366 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), who hail from Negros island, arrived here via sweeper flights from May 25 to 26.
(Capitol PIO / MANILA BULLETIN)
They were part of the mass transport of OFWs, who were stranded in Manila during the community quarantine amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Of the total number of repatriates, 195 were residents of Negros Occidental, 159 were from Bacolod, and 12 were from Negros Oriental.
The repatriates arrived here on board Philippine Airlines and Air Asia sweeper flights at the Bacolod-Silay Airport in Silay City.
Most of the repatriates were brought to hotels here for the mandatory 14-day quarantine while others refused to be brought to the healing center in E.B. Magalona town as they wanted to be placed in a hotel.
Those who stayed at the airport overnight were immediately transferred to a hotel here on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Mayor Evelio Leonardia, in a press statement, said that they were “caught by surprise” to receive a memorandum from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) informing them to prepare for the mass arrival of thousands of OFWs starting May 25.
There could be about 1,000 Bacolodnon OFWs out of this number, the mayor added.
The DILG issued on Monday a memorandum, ordering all governors, city and municipal mayors, chiefs of police, and DILG officials to facilitate the “unhampered mass transport of repatriated OFWs to all regions of the country.”
Leonardia said he was appealing to owners of hotels, inns, and pension houses to make their rooms available for returning OFWs.
“This is a time that we appeal to your sense of public service, or even sense of patriotism. This is a matter where our national interest is of utmost concern. We appeal for your cooperation and participation in assisting our stranded OFWs,” the mayor said in his appeal.
Leonardia thanked the owners of hotels and lodging facilities who have already signified their commitment to help the OFWs by reserving rooms for them.
“We assure the people of Bacolod that we are doing everything we can to help our OFWs return home, without putting the health of our people at risk,” he said.
(Capitol PIO / MANILA BULLETIN)
They were part of the mass transport of OFWs, who were stranded in Manila during the community quarantine amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Of the total number of repatriates, 195 were residents of Negros Occidental, 159 were from Bacolod, and 12 were from Negros Oriental.
The repatriates arrived here on board Philippine Airlines and Air Asia sweeper flights at the Bacolod-Silay Airport in Silay City.
Most of the repatriates were brought to hotels here for the mandatory 14-day quarantine while others refused to be brought to the healing center in E.B. Magalona town as they wanted to be placed in a hotel.
Those who stayed at the airport overnight were immediately transferred to a hotel here on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Mayor Evelio Leonardia, in a press statement, said that they were “caught by surprise” to receive a memorandum from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) informing them to prepare for the mass arrival of thousands of OFWs starting May 25.
There could be about 1,000 Bacolodnon OFWs out of this number, the mayor added.
The DILG issued on Monday a memorandum, ordering all governors, city and municipal mayors, chiefs of police, and DILG officials to facilitate the “unhampered mass transport of repatriated OFWs to all regions of the country.”
Leonardia said he was appealing to owners of hotels, inns, and pension houses to make their rooms available for returning OFWs.
“This is a time that we appeal to your sense of public service, or even sense of patriotism. This is a matter where our national interest is of utmost concern. We appeal for your cooperation and participation in assisting our stranded OFWs,” the mayor said in his appeal.
Leonardia thanked the owners of hotels and lodging facilities who have already signified their commitment to help the OFWs by reserving rooms for them.
“We assure the people of Bacolod that we are doing everything we can to help our OFWs return home, without putting the health of our people at risk,” he said.