Abra gov’ts bring home stranded folk

CONTACT TRACING. A contact tracing orientation is shown being held in Villaviciosa, Abra led by Department of Health–Cordillera provincial head, Dr. Alex Bayubay, in an undated photo. Abra, the first local government unit in the Cordillera Administrative Region to have a coronavirus disease patient, has so far recorded a total of nine cases. (PNA photo courtesy of DOH-CAR)

By Christian Allister Tubadeza

SAN QUINTIN, Abra -- The provincial government and local government units here continually communicate with their locally stranded individuals (LSIs) who want to come home to Abra so that they will be assisted.  

They though reiterate the enforcement of preventive measures to avoid local transmission of COVID-19. The LSIs will be automatically housed at the municipal isolation units where they will stay for another 14 days for the mandatory quarantine. The LGUs will also submit these LSIs on Covid-19 rapid testing as part of health protocols.

In case an LSI tests positive for Covid-19,he will be immediately transferred to the Provincial Isolation Unit in Bagalay, Tayum.

Last week, the provincial government thru its sweeper bus ferried four Abrenians returning to work to Baguio, and on its return trip,  brought home 10 LSIs from Baguio City and Benguet.

Also last week, 33 Abrenian LSIs in Manila were brought home through the “Hatid Tulong Program,” an   initiative of the Office of the President that provides free transportation services to stranded individuals due to Covid-19 lockdowns bound to their respective provinces.

Two Partas buses were provided for the 33 Abrenian LSIs. They were dropped off at the quarantine control point in Barangay Tangadan in San Quintin where they were immediately cross-checked by the on-duty personnel of the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines and the designated LSI focal persons and health workers. From there, the LGUs of the LSIs picked them up bound to their respective municipalities.

Mark Kevin Viado, a former call center agent, expressed his gratitude to President Rodrigo Duterte for the Hatid Tulong Program that brought him home safely.

“When our company closed due to Covid-19 pandemic, I am one of the employees who are affected so I decided to go home here in Abra to stay with my family instead and the Hatid Tulong Program is great help for safe travel for me,” Viado said. (JDP/CAGT – PIA CAR, Abra)