BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Around 1,500 sugar sacadas or sugar migratory workers are expected to arrive in Negros Occidental in the coming days.
Dr. Zeaphard Caelian, head of the Provincial Disaster Management Program Division and province’s Inter-Agency Task Force, said 40 workers arrived at the Bredco port from Aklan Friday last week.
These sacadas are assigned to work ion the vast sugar plantations in the province, particularly in the cities of Kabankalan, Silay, Talisay and the town of Isabela.
According to Caelian, at least 3,110 sacadas arrived in the province since the milling season began in September.
Under the current protocols of the provincial government, all sacadas are required to undergo swabbing upon arrival in Bacolod City. They will be immediately transported to their barracks while waiting for the test results.
Those with negative test results are allowed to go to work. Those who would test positive, on the other hand, will be taken to a quarantine facility.
To date, 13 sacadas were found infected with the viral disease./PN
