10 returning residents from Iloilo cleared of Covid-19

THE ten returning residents from Iloilo City were tested negative for Sars-CoV-2, which causes coronavirus disease (Covid-19), and all of them already completed the 14-day mandatory quarantine in Bacolod City.

Councilor Cindy Rojas, chairperson of Action Team on Non-Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) Returning Residents (ATNORR), said Tuesday, May 19, that the eight students from University of the Philippines (UP)-Visayas and a couple who were stranded in Iloilo City already completed the 14-day mandatory quarantine in Medalla Integrated School in Barangay Pahanocoy Monday afternoon.

“We sent them home with dinner already prepared by the team of Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD) and they were all individually dropped off to their respective homes,” she said.

She added the returning residents were also tested negative for Sars-CoV-2.

Tan noted on Thursday, May 14, there will be more returning residents from Palawan and they will travel from Iloilo Port to Bacolod Bredco Port.

Last week, about 53 returning residents from Cebu also arrived in Bacolod City. All of them underwent the 14-day mandatory quarantine at Education and Training Center School-4 (ETCS-4).

The returning residents arrived at Escalante City Port onboard roll-on-roll-off vessel from Tabuelan Port, Cebu and were picked up by the buses of the City Government.

“All of them will also undergo reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test to ensure that they are not infected by the virus,” Tan said.

Mayor Evelio Leonardia earlier issued Executive Order (EO) No. 33 establishing protocols in managing non-overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) returning residents with special concerns who arrive during the period of the city’s enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and beyond.

Leonardia said for the protection of the general community, strict health protocols should be observed in allowing the return of the stranded non-OFW residents of Bacolod.