ILOILO City – A total of 116 repatriated overseas Filipinos (ROFs) and 77 locally stranded individuals (LSIs) returned to Region 6 yesterday.
The ROFs were transported by Philippine Airlines. The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) arranged the trip.
The plane landed at the Iloilo Airport in Cabatuan, Iloilo at around 12:02 a.m.
The ROFs were residents of Aklan (eight), Antique (14), Capiz (19), Iloilo City (20), Iloilo province (51), and Guimaras (four).
From the airport, they were fetched by their respective local government units (LGUs). They would be undergoing 14 days of quarantine and tested for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Some LGUs with no more available spaces in their quarantine facilities, however, asked OWWA to take care of their ROFs.
OWWA brought these ROFs to hotels in Iloilo City tapped to serve as quarantine facilities.
Regarding the 77 LSIs, the ship ferrying them from Cebu docked at Fort San Pedro in Iloilo City yesterday morning.
They were residents of Antique (seven), Capiz (one), Iloilo (14), Iloilo City (nine), Negros Occidental (one), and Bacolod City (46).
Data from the Department of Health as of yesterday, Aug. 6, showed the region having 1,290 LSIs, ROFs and APOR (authorized persons outside of residence) positive for COVID-19, with two deaths (one each from Iloilo province and Negros Occidental).
Also, data (as of Aug. 6) from the Regional Incident Management Team (RIMT) for LSIs showed 31,868 stranded Ilonggos have returned to Western Visayas since April.
Here’s the breakdown: Iloilo City – 1,130; Bacolod City – 1,745; Aklan – 4,351; Antique – 7,945; Guimaras – 501; Iloilo – 4,520; Negros Occidental – 6,033.
Meanwhile, data (as of Aug. 6) from the Western Visayas Regional Task Force on COVID-19 showed 10,169 ROFs have re turned to the region since April.
They were residents of Iloilo province (1,940), Bacolod City (1,617), Iloilo City (1,609), Capiz (1,567), Aklan (1,348), Antique (1,048), Negros Occidental (625), and Guimaras (418).
To return to the region, LSIs are required to secure and/or fulfill the following:
* travel authority from Philippine National Police
* medical certificate stating they have no symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019
* prior coordination with the receiving LGU
For ROFs, these are the requirements:
* COVID-negative test result (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction test)
* completion of 14-day quarantine
* medical certificate stating they have no symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019
* prior coordination with the receiving LGU/PN
