MANILA – The last batch of locally stranded individuals (LSIs) has been transported back to their respective provinces before the government starts to implement new polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing protocols.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said two ships were utilized in transporting these LSIs to the cities of Bacolod, Iloilo and Cagayan de Oro.
“This is the last batch of LSIs allowed to return to their respective hometowns until we subject them to RT-PCR tests,” he added.
The Palace spokesperson further said that National Task Force for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. issued the temporary moratorium on the transit of LSIs due to the surge of COVID-19 cases in the provinces.
According to Roque, the recent arrival of one million reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) test kits prompted the government to come up with new health protocols in sending stranded individuals back to their homes.
“Ang sabi po ni Secretary Galvez, dahil dumating na ‘yung ating one million testing kits for PCR, pupwede na nating bigyan ang lahat ng LSIs,” Roque said. “They need to first get a negative test result before they can be transported back to their home provinces.”
Roque also urged the receiving local governments units to administer RT-PCR tests, which detect the virus that causes COVID-19, in their areas and subject the returnees to quarantine./PN
