228 OFWs arrive in Negros Occidental

PROVINCIAL Incident Management Team (PIMT) head Zephard Caelian said Monday, April 12, that 228 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have recently arrived in Negros Occidental.

According to Caelian, the 228 arrived from flights at the Bacolod-Silay Airport last Sunday, April 11.

Upon their arrival, the OFWs were immediately swabbed and brought by their respective local government units where they will undergo quarantine while waiting for the result of their RT-PCR test.

Caelian said they may release the result of the OFWs’ RT-PCR test between Monday afternoon and Tuesday, April 13.

As the extension for the travel moratorium will take effect Tuesday, April 13, Caelian said they accepted the arrival of OFWs and locally stranded individuals (LSIs) between Sunday and Monday via flights originating from Manila and Cebu.

A 2GO ferry carrying 99 LSIs from Manila also arrived Monday afternoon based on the passenger manifest forwarded to the PIMT.

Caelian said some of those who have arrived have undergone swab tests at the Bacolod-Silay Airport and that some of the passengers have expired swab test results.

"Currently, we are still following Resolution 101 of the [National Inter-Agency Task Force], because they have yet to approve our request requiring everyone entering the province to undergo swab test and quarantine upon arrival," Caelian said.

Caelian also pointed out they have yet to receive the implementing guidelines on the extension of the travel moratorium, but he confirmed that included in the travel ban will be authorized persons outside of residence.