National Action Plan Against COVID 19, Chief implementor and Presidential Peace Adviser, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. has lauded Pampanga Governor Dennis Pineda on his assistance to returning Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to the province.
“Nagusap po kami ng governor ng Pampanga, he is more than willing, na kapag andun sa NCR yung kaniyang OFWs na taga Pampanga, kukunin niya, at siya na mismo ang mag papa PCR dito sa JB-Lingad Hospital. That is a gesture na nakikita naming pwedeng gayahin ng mga LGUs,” according to Galvez.
Galvez urged LGUs to replicate the move of Governor Pineda.
Galvez set as example the initiative of Pineda towards accepting returning OFWs in the province on his talk about LGUs protocols to contain COVID-19 at the same time helping repatriates to go home.
Galvez also lauded LGU’s protocols on accepting returning OFWs. “Nakikita natin na yung mga LGUs mas stricter, natutuwa nga kami na ang mga LGUs natin ay mahihigpit din. Some of the LGUs magkoconduct din ng rapid testing para at least sigurado at the same time yung 14-days quarantine ay sinasailalim po nila.”
Meanwhile, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año disclosed the Inter Agency Task Force, the officials of Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) and presidents of League of Provinces, League of Cities, League of Municipalities and League of Barangay including some selected Governors and Mayors convened to settle protocols on accepting repatriated OFWs.
“Dito napagkasunduan na 5 days yun ang maximum na itatagal ng mga returning OFWs, at pagdating sa kanilang mga kani kanilang ay tatanggapin ng LGUs. Sa mga LGUs binigyan natin sila ng discretion depende sa situation nila, lalo na yung may mga zero cases na kanilang mga probinsya,” said Sec. Ed Año.
In another development, Secretary of Labor and Employment Silvestre Bello III said more than 300 seafarers repatriated from the Royal Caribbean Cruise line are scheduled for redeployment by their manning agencies.
“Meron ng desisyon ang IATF na pwede nang magdeploy ulit ng seafarers so walang problema sa mga seafarers,” said Bello.
Bello mentioned Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) laid a program for those OFW repatriates laid-off from their job abroad. “May programa din ang OWWA called the National Reintegration Program, unang benefit ay Cash Assistance, pangalawa ay Livelihood Assistance, pangatlo Education Assistance yun po ang mga nakahandang tulong sa ating mga OFWs,” said Bello.