BACOLOD City – The provincial government of Negros Occidental is being cautious in accepting its overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who are still stranded in Cebu.
Cebu has the highest confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases outside of Metro Manila.
“If you are stranded in Cebu, please understand. Cebu City is No. 2 as far as (number of) cases is concerned. That’s why we’re extra careful of Negrenses coming from (there),” Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said in a press conference at the Capitol Social Hall here on May 12.
“We’re about to receive OFWs from Cebu. But if they don’t have test results to show they are free from COVID-19, we are extra careful,” the governor added.
According to Lacson, even the local government units in this province are not ready to accept their respective residents who will go home after finishing quarantine in designated COVID-19 centers.
Some of the OFWS who returned in this province have been tested positive for COVID-19.
Two overseas workers who arrived in Escalante City from Tabuelan, Cebu on April 14 were listed as this province’s third and fourth confirmed virus cases.
Patient No. 3 is a 38-year-old man who arrived in the country after travelling from the Netherlands. He is a resident of Silay City.
On the other hand, Patient No. 4 is a 50-year-old man from Candoni town. He travelled from Ireland and arrived in the Philippines on March 17.
Both of them are still quarantined at the Provincial Healing Center, a patient care center managed by the provincial government in E.B. Magalona town.
They are among the seven positive cases in Negros Occidental.
Three OFWS who arrived in this province on April 28 via the Malasakit Voyage of 2GO Group’s M/V St. Leo the Great also tested positive for COVID-19.(With a report from PNA/PN)
