ILOILO – Up to 65 hotels and resorts in the province expressed willingness to accept Ilonggo returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) who must undergo quarantine, according to Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.
These accommodation establishments, he said, were all accredited by the Department of Tourism.
“As of this morning may 65 accredited hotels and resorts na kita nga nag-signify and sige dugang sini,” Defensor announced yesterday.
He was hoping these establishments could operate as soon as possible as quarantine facilities of local government units (LGUs) are straining since the repatriation of ROFs and locally stranded individuals resumed.
“Kon mangin operational na i-clustering lang naton sila,” Defensor said.
From the Iloilo Airport in Cabatuan town, he said LGUs will be bringing their ROFs to designated hotels and resorts.
If a town doesn’t have a resort or a hotel, the LGU could utilize its quarantine facility intended for LSIs, Defensor added.
The governor earlier asked the help of town mayors to convince hotels and resorts to serve as temporary quarantine sites.
Defensor also ordered to hasten the search for more accommodation establishments so that he could provide a list to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
OWWA will pay the hotels and resorts for the food and accommodation of the ROFs, said Defensor.
For LSIs, he added, the provincial government is ready to help the LGUs financially should the time come that their quarantine facilities (schools and covered gymnasiums) reach their full capacity.
Data from the Western Visayas Regional Task Force on COVID-19 showed that as of Aug. 20 11,577 ROFs have returned to the region. Here’s the breakdown:
* Iloilo City – 1,731
* Bacolod City – 1,715
* Aklan – 1,358
* Antique – 1,243
* Capiz – 1,697
* Guimaras – 452
* Iloilo – 2,081
* Negros Occidental – 1,300./PN
