CLOSE to 24,000 quarantined overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) whose swab results are negative for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) will be sent home starting Monday, May 25, 2020, said Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III.

Flights to Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Tacloban, Bacolod, Davao, Iloilo and Zamboanga will be arranged until Wednesday, May 27.

Bus trips to Bicol, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, the Cordillera Administrative Region and Central Luzon will also be made available beginning May 25.

Eight thousand OFWs were supposed to leave on May 25, but only 2,000 were able to board their flights due to some confusion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia).

In Cebu, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said protocol for arriving OFW repatriates has been in place even before Cebu Province was placed under a state of general community quarantine (GCQ).

“We have already been receiving OFWs and have established protocol for this,” she told SunStar Cebu in a text message Monday afternoon.

On May 19, Garcia signed Executive Order (EO) 17 series of 2020, which defines the GCQ protocol, standards and guidelines to be observed by all persons within the Province of Cebu.

Section 6.3 provides that OFWs or returning non-OFWs may be allowed entry into the Province of Cebu provided that:

Their Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results are negative;

Prior to arrival in Cebu, they were issued a Department of Health or local government unit (LGU) certificate of completion of a 14-day facility-based quarantine;

Upon arrival in Cebu, they shall be quarantined for an additional seven days by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) before going home to their LGU of residence;

Thereafter, they shall be allowed to return to their LGU of residence subject to such other protocol that may be required by said LGU.

Bello announced on Sunday, May 24, that close to 24,000 OFWs under mandatory quarantine and whose swab or PCR tests are negative will be sent home.

Commitment

Upon instruction of President Rodrigo Duterte, the composite team of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Owwa will arrange in the next days for daily trips for 8,000 OFWs via the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

This is part of Duterte’s commitment for the safe return of OFWs to their families, as arranged by the Philippine Government.

The OFWs need to present their quarantine passes from the Bureau of Quarantine or be on the PCG’s Covid-19 negative list to qualify for the return program.

More bus rides and flights will be made available for the OFWs.

A one-stop shop will be located in the bus and flight sites to ensure the speedy arrangements for this program.

The three-day OFW Return Program is provided by Duterte to ensure the safe return of those repatriated OFWs under mandatory quarantine to their families and loved ones amid the Covid-19 pandemic. (RTF with PR)