Mt Province LGUs bring home OFWs, stranded folks

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- The provincial and municipal local government units have started to bring home stranded individuals and overseas Filipino workers to reunite them with their families,

The provincial government offered to assist repatriated OFWs while the municipal LGUs focus on LSI constituents.

"The provincial government remains steadfast in its commitment to bring home repatriated OFWs and locally stranded "Kakailyans,” said Gov. Bonifacio C. Lacwasan, Jr., chairperson of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.  

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) and the Provincial Legal Office coordinated with concerned offices and advise the concerned on requisites for the internal migration.

Last May 24, the PLGU  in cooperation with the  Department of Foreign Affairs, the Philippine Coast Guard and the Overseas Workers  Welfare Administration facilitated the  arrival of  four  OFWs, three of them from Tadian and one from Bauko,  in their  respective municipalities. They were the latest batch of repatriates.

Others are expected to return home once their necessary clearances   are issued by the OWWA and Philippine Coast Guard.

As of the update dated May 25, some 14 OFW repatriates from the province tested negative of the COVID-19.

"While there has been tasking among LGUs, the PDRRMC and the PDRRMO are not limiting its help to OFWs only. The Mountain Province Operations Center will still provide assistance to our people affected by the COVID-19 to the best of its limited capacity," PDRRMO Edward F. Chumawar, Jr. said.

Last week, the different MLGUs in the province started welcoming back their LSIs. Many of the MLGUs were responsible in providing transportation  to the returning residents.

As a health protocol, the PDRRMC has set up triage booths  in different provincial border entry points of  Mt. Province  where  the LSIs  and returning OFWs and  will be checked  for COVID 19 symptoms. Those who have symptoms will be brought directly to the hospital.   

Those coming from areas with confirmed COVID cases are required to undergo the 14 day mandatory quarantine in identified isolation areas in their respective barangays or be home quarantined and monitored by the Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams.

In Bontoc, 115 residents of the capital town stranded in La Trinidad, Benguet and Baguio City came home on May 23, aboard six Bontoc Local Government Unit chartered buses.

Of the total, 39 LSIs came from La Trinidad, Benguet, and 76 from Baguio City.

The LSIs were provided with free transportation by the Bontoc LGU under its second batch of Oplan Suma-ar, a localized version of the “Balik Probinsya” program of the national government.

                The LSIs were accommodated in the second batch of Oplan Suma-ar after registration in the link posted in the Municipality of Bontoc Facebook Page and after having confirmed their presence during their travel date.

Their families agreed to provide their food rations during the quarantine period, and comply with the GCQ and LGU protocols.

The Bontoc LGU set two pick-up points, one at the Benguet State University (BSU) Parking Area, Km. 6, La Trinidad, Benguet to cater to LSIs in La Trinidad; and the other at the D’ Rising Sun Transportation Terminal at Slaughter Compound, Baguio City to cater to LSIs in Baguio City.

Upon arrival in Bontoc, returnees were triaged by the staff of the MHO at the Bontoc Municipal Capitol before they were escorted and ferried to the LGU Quarantine Facilities and LGU –identified Quarantine Facilities.

Aside from this, MHO staff administered the test to the LSIs using the Rapid Test Kits of which the results came negative.

Bontoc Mayor Franklin Odsey said Oplan Suma-ar materialized due to the collaborative efforts of different offices, agencies, and individuals.

Odsey the Municipality of Bontoc to La Trinidad Municipal Government and La Trinidad Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) under the leadership of Mayor Romeo Salda; to the City Government of Baguio and City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) under the leadership of Mayor Benjamin Magalong; and Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) for their support and assistance.

He also thanked BSU President Feliciano Calora, Jr., for his approval of the request of the Bontoc LGU for the utilization of the BSU parking area as the pick-up point in La Trinidad; Provincial Government of Mountain Province through the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) for shouldering the snacks of the LSIs; D’ Rising Sun Transportation System Incorporated management, drivers, conductors, and staff; Mr. Clarence Dalog for volunteering to ferry the Bontoc LGU Team using his private car.

The Bontoc LGU Team who escorted and assisted the LSIs coming home to Bontoc are Municipal Local Government Operations Officer Lourdes Claire Peel, Administrative Officer IV Cyross Kiat-ong, Nurse II Oliver Gacusana and Nurse I Achilles Feckleng, Jr.

The mayor further commended all frontliners, employees of the Bontoc LGU, Barangay Local Government Units, and the volunteers for their selfless services in the fight against Covid-19.

Meanwhile, the 82 LSIs who were accommodated in the first batch of Oplan Suma-ar who were fetched and ferried aboard Bontoc -LGU chartered buses, have already completed their 14-day quarantine. Also, they all tested negative of Covid-19 using rapid test kits. – With reports from Alpine L. Killa, PIA and provincial government