A TOTAL of 161 locally stranded individuals (LSIs) have returned to their respective provinces and cities in Northern Mindanao, Soccsksargen, and Caraga regions last Tuesday, May 26.

The Department of Tourism (DOT)-Northern Mindanao said that of the 161 LSIs, 48 were from Bukidnon, 40 from Cagayan de Oro City, 28 from Misamis Oriental, 21 from Soccsksargen, 14 from Iligan City, five from Misamis Occidental, three from Caraga and two from Camiguin.

"We are happy of course that there are efforts to make sure that our LSIs get home as soon as possible," DOT Regional Director Marie Elaine Unchuan said.

"Of course, as the chairperson and head agency of the International Humanitarian Assistance and Inter-Government Relations Cluster, it brings us joy that the agencies are working together so that these people who were stranded amidst the Covid-19 pandemic in other places can now get home safely and be with their families," she added.

As of May 26, Northern Mindanao has a total of 317 inbound LSIs who are still stranded in different parts of the country.

The DOT-Northern Mindanao has also identified 2016 outbound LSIs who are stranded in various parts of the region.