ILOILO City – More than 10,000 Antiqueño repatriates stranded in Manila and other areas in Luzon are now home since March this year, data from the Western Visayas Regional Task Force showed.
The coming home of Antiqueños was made possible through the “Libre Uli Antique” program, a joint undertaking of Gov. Rhodora Cadiao and Lone District Rep. Loren Legarda.
Of the figure, 9,054 were locally stranded individuals (LSIs) and 1,243 were returning overseas Filipinos.
Aside from the Libre Uli Antique program, sweeper flights and Malasakit Voyages were also organized by various government agencies to facilitate the return of Antiqueño repatriates.
The provincial government and the office Legarda are still facilitating additional trips to ensure remaining stranded workers and students will be home the soonest possible time.
On Aug. 25, Cadiao issued Executive Order No.110-A Series of 2020 relaxing policies on the return of LSIs into the province.
Under Cadiao’s directive, locally stranded individual without coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms are allowed to take the Manila to Antique flights of the Philippine Airlines even without a negative reverse transcription test result, provided they shall undergo mandatory quarantine of the municipality of their destination
Non-Antiqueños without COVID-19 symptoms may take the Manila to Antique flights of the Philippine Airlines as long as thier flight is coordinated with the municipal or city Health Office of their destination./PN
