BY ESTABLISHING functional quarantine facilities in La Trinidad, Benguet Governor Melchor Diclas said on Thursday, May 28, the provincial government is ready to handle the influx of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Benguet and locally stranded individuals (LSIs).
He said the provincial government (PLGU) is in coordination with the national government for the repatriation of OFWs.
Diclas added the provincial government cannot bar and drive away returning people of Benguet.
“In our province, we are willing to accept the OFWs, they are our people,” he said.
In the previous Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force for Covid-19, Diclas added the 13 municipalities in the province were urged to establish their own quarantine facilities in preparation for the returning residents.
“For the quarantine facilities of the province, we have functional quarantine facilities located in La Trinidad this will be used for locally stranded individuals and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). For OFWs, the provincial government vehicle started ferrying OFWs from Manila to Benguet, after they register online and complete required documents,” he added.
As of May 27, more than 20 OFWs were catered to by the province.
The governor stated the national government is notifying the PLGU of the arrivals of OFWs.
“Once they arrive, and have negative rapid test results and 14-day quarantine we will coordinate to the municipalities to bring OFWs and LSIs home. They must have medical certificate completing 14- day home quarantine and certification that they are clinically Covid free, they must have no symptoms of the virus and acquire travel pass from PNP,” he added.
He stated the two quarantine facilities in Benguet can accommodate more or less 60 patients.
The Benguet official in a meeting with National Task Force Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. in Baguio City last week explaining the national government’s presentation on the stages for areas before it reaches new normal.
The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease resolution no.40 issued on May 27 placed Cordillera Administrative Region under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) until June 15.
Diclas said under modified GCQ, businesses allowed to open include the tourism sector and other businesses establishments from leisure, massage, parlor, and businesses under the DTI category 4.
However, he explained the province will be waiting for the general guidelines from the IATF for the modified GCQ.
This week, all 10 positive Covid-19 patients in the province, most of them coming from the town of La Trinidad all recovered.