ILOILO City – Locally stranded individuals (LSIs) and returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) bound for this southern city would once again be required to undergo reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test for possible coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection.
This is in preparation for the expected influx of Ilonggos coming home for Christmas, according to Mayor Jerry Treñas.
“Maayo gid nga ma-test sila. Importante nga mabal–an ta ang status sang tanan nga naga–abot diri,” Treñas said yesterday over DYOK Aksyon Radyo.
Aside from LSIs and ROFs, those classified as authorized persons outside of residence (APORs) will also be covered by the mandatory swabbing beginning this December. This would be free of charge.
Repatriates will have the option of submitting themselves to a 14-day quarantine either at the city’s isolation facilities or at home. If they choose the latter, they will be monitored by the Barangay Health Emergency Response Team.
“Halin sa IloiloAirport, madritso sila sa Jubillee Hall para ma-test ang tanan,” said Treñas.
He expressed enthusiasm at quicker test results as the city’s molecular laboratory started operating this week.
The laboratory was awarded a license to operate on Nov. 23 and is now testing up to 180 specimens each day.
This would ease the turnaround time on tests which were previously done at the Western Visayas Medical Center in Mandurriao district, the designated sub-national laboratory for COVID-19 testing in the region.
In Early October, Treñas issued Executive Order No. 165, which scrapped the mandatory swabbing of people from areas classified as “low-risk” by the national government’s Inter-Agency Task Force.
Under the EO, returning people must have coordination with and acceptance of the local chief executive through the Iloilo City Emergency Operations Center.
Notice of coordination and acceptance must be obtained from the EOC.
They must closely coordinate their transportation arrangements with the city’s EOC.
As of Thursday, Iloilo City had a total of 4,329 COVID-19 cases – 149 of which are active, 4,058 recovered and 121 dead./PN