Stranded Baguio residents arrive; 24 K more expected

By Pigeon Lobien 

BAGUIO CITY – The first batch of returning Baguio residents arrived here on May 21 as the city welcomes back stranded workers, students, and even workers from other parts of the country.

               After nearly a week of processing their papers as clearance to return, the 46 residents who had to get health clearances from their point of origin and travel pass were welcomed by local police who escorted them to the newly installed triage at the Saint Vincent Gym.

“It’s good to be back home after nearly one week of getting all my clearances,” said Ejay Zamora, who had been stuck in New Manila in Quezon City since the start of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) on March 17.

Baguio executive officer Philip Puzon said the city expects some 24,000 RBRs, 100 of whom could be accommodated daily. He said they can go up to 200 if needed.

Puzon said that 3,160 of these RBRs had already applied but they had to undergo a set of strict health and safety rules, such as the triage requirements to ensure immediate detection and management of potential coronavirus disease (Covid-19) carriers.

Puzon said that the returnees must apply online, acquire a health certificate where it is indicated if he or she is possible, suspect or Covid-19 positive, and has undergone the required 14 days quarantine.

The returnee must also secure a travel pass from the police and signed by the regional director of the said locality.

The City Disaster Risk and Rescue Management Office (CDRRMC) will then schedule the applicant’s return who will undergo the required triage upon arrival.

At the triage, the RBRs will undergo the 14-days quarantine in a facility or a home quarantine will suffice. Under home isolation, the RBRs' profiles are sent to the barangay for monitoring of their condition.

The city has set up a triage at the Saint Vincent gym on Naguilian Road composed of 11 sub-triages delineated based on the medical conditions of the returnees.

Triages have also been set up at the checkpoints at the various entrances to the city and those now found at the various hospitals.

City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU) head Dr. Donnabel Tubera- Panes said the city government has adopted a two-triage system for RBRs.

Under the system, RBRs undergo initial triage at the checkpoints set up at the various entry points to the city, and those with symptoms are escorted to the triages of hospitals of their choice while those without symptoms are directed to the Saint Vincent central triage.

“The police will determine if the RBR shows symptoms and will be escorted to Saint Vincent," Panes said.

At the Saint Vincent triage, the RBRs are managed according to their requirements.

Those who require health certificates to return to work are asked to undergo an X-ray for a P180 fee and those with lung problems are tested for Covid-19.

Those who are not returning workers are managed based on decision matrices which include the status of their places of origin. If for instance they came from an area that is under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) or with numerous cases, they will be required to undergo a 14-day home quarantine.

Despite their lack of medical personnel, Panes said that two City Health Office doctors are on duty every day to evaluate and check on the RBRs.

Mayor Benjamin Magalong, meanwhile, asked that RBRs should be a little patient in getting their clearance to come home to the city.

“We want to bring home everybody, but we don’t want to burden health officials,” he said. (PNA)