AT LEAST 48 residents from Mindanao who were stranded in Cebu were able to return to their provinces on May 14, 2020 after the Cebu City government facilitated their return home by cargo vessel.
The passengers, who were natives of Cagayan de Oro City and Iligan City, were brought to their respective provinces via Lite Ferry 29 which disembarked from the Cebu City Pier 1 at on May 13 in the evening.
Majority of the passengers were stuck in Cebu following the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) which included a no-sail policy for passenger vessels going in and out of Cebu.
Elijah Gargar of Cagayan de Oro City told SunStar Cebu that he came to Cebu to undergo review sessions as he plans to take the Civil Engineering Licensure Exam.
Gargar said their review ended in March.
He disclosed that aside from him, there were others reviewees from Mindanao who were stuck in Cebu due to the ECQ.
Though he feared he might not be able to return to his hometown, Gargar saw a glimmer of hope when he read the social media page of the Cagayan de Oro city government which posted updates on how stranded individuals like him can return home.
The Cagayan de Oro City government said they will allow other repatriates to return as long as they can provide certification from their barangay that they are residents of the city.
The repatriates are also required to undergo 14-day quarantine in Cebu City and secure certification from the local government unit (LGU) that they have completed it.
Upon completing the requirements and submitting them to their respective LGUs, the city governments of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan immediately coordinated with the Cebu City government to arrange the repatriation of their residents.
Gargar said that while they were able to return to their homes, they were still required to undergo 14-day quarantine in their LGUs before they could see their families again. (BBT / JKV)