(UPDATED) Capas Mayor Reynaldo Catacutan has appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte and Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque to “consider another place or facility as isolation area” for the China-based Filipino repatriates who are expected to arrive on Monday, February 10, at the Clark International Airport.
In a statement from Germany, Catacutan has also flayed the Department of Health (DOH) for not involving the Municipality of Capas in the “last-minute decision for New Clark City Capas to be used as quarantine zone for these Persons under Monitoring (PUMs).”
There are reportedly 45 Filipinos based in China who volunteered to be repatriated by the Philippine government pending the approval of their exit clearance from the Chinese government. Those found to be positive of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) will not be allowed to board the flight to the Philippines and be taken to Chinese hospitals for treatment according to DOH.
“While it is true that I, as a Filipino, am in favor of the repatriation of OFWs from the province of Hubei, China, I feel perturbed by the fact that Department of Health (DOH) did not at all, in any way, involve the Capas LGU in its last-minute decision for New Clark City Capas to be used as quarantine zone for these Persons under Monitoring (PUMs). We acknowledge that the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) has full jurisdiction over NCC, but I, as the Mayor of Capas, appeal in behalf of all Capaseños to our dear President Rodrigo Duterte and DOH Secretary Francisco Duque to consider another place or facility as isolation area,” said Catacutan.
The opposition of Capas municipality to the use of NCC as quarantine area came after reports have it that Nueva Ecija residents had also opposed the entry of PUMs at the Fort Magsaysay Drug Rehabilitation Center.
In a glimmer of hope, Pampanga Gov. Dennis “Delta” Pineda said the provincial government is ready to accommodate returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from virus-hit countries as neighboring provinces rejected them.
“We are very much willing to help OFWs who are returning from novel coronavirus-affected areas, as well as individuals with travel history who are voluntarily going on self-quarantine,” Pineda said.
He said the province has the right quarantine facilities identified by the Department of Health (DOH), as well as trained personnel to handle the cases.
“For those who will undergo the 14-day quarantine, we will provide them with the right facility in coordination with the DOH, Bureau of Quarantine [BOQ] and the Jose B. Lingad [JBL] Regional Medical Center,” Pineda said.
OFWs with symptoms of the virus will be brought directly to the JBL Regional Medical Center in the City of San Fernando.
Meanwhile, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) assured “the municipality of Capas and its officials that the national government will address all the issues and concerns raised following the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to use New Clark City as a quarantine site for our repatriated kababayans.”
“All preventive and precautionary measures are being put in place by the Task Force not only for our repatriated kababayans, but to also ensure that the adjacent communities of New Clark City and all Capaseños are kept safe and protected.”