DUMAGUETE CITY, May 5 (PIA) -- All the 23 repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who returned to Negros Oriental last week have tested negative for COVID-19.
Gov. Roel Degamo made the announcement in a press briefing Monday afternoon at the Multi-Agency Coordinating Center (MACC), Visionaire’s Lounge, Dumaguete City.
Degamo disclosed that swab samples were taken from the OFWs upon their arrival in Dumaguete City on April 28.
The samples were sent to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) in Cebu City immediately for the COVID-19 Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) confirmatory tests.
Results of the RT-PCR tests came out the following day.
“Nalipay kay ta ug dako kay negative ang swab sa mga OFW (We are glad that the swab tests of the OFWs turned out to be negative). They will now return to their respective places,” Degamo said.
The governor and Assistant Provincial Health Officer Dr. Liland Estacion have agreed to contact other Local Government Units (LGUs) for the transport of the said OFWs back to their respective LGUs.
“We are just waiting for the official individual report. Ilang gihatag nato kato man group report. We are waiting for the official individual report usa nato sila ihatag sa tagsa-tagsa na LGU na mopauli na sila sa ilang panimalay (The VSMMC gave us a group report. We are waiting for the official individual report before turning them over to their LGUs who will transport them to their houses),” Estacion said.
The 23 OFWs are currently staying in a hotel for their 14-day quarantine as mandated in the guidelines of the Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force-Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF-EID).
Meanwhile, Degamo assured the residents of Brgy. Daro - where the hotel of the OFWs is located - that there is nothing to fear with the presence of the repatriated OFWs in their neighborhood.
“To the people of Daro, there’s no cause for panic. Ayaw ra mo kahadlok (Don't be afraid). I will always see to it that the provincial government is always on top of the situation. Gisuguro gyud nako, una, ang safety ninyo. Ikaduha, ang mga katawhan sa lalawigan sa Negros Oriental ma-safety usab. Para ni sa general safety sa katawhan (I will always see to it that the provincial government is on top of the situation. I assure you of your safety and the safety of all the residents of Negros Oriental. This is for the safety of the general public),” Degamo said.
“Ang atong gihimo, ni-follow ta ug protocol. When those OFWs arrived in Dumaguete City, we coordinated with the city (government) and in fact, Dr. (Sarah) Talla went to the area and did the proper protocols so that ma-contain nato ang atong mga OFWs in one area (We strictly observed the protocol. When those OFWs arrived in Dumaguete City, we coordinated with the City Government. In fact, Dr. Sarah Talla went to the area to conduct the proper protocols to contain the OFWs in one area),” Degamo added.
Dr. Talla is the City Health Officer of Dumaguete City.
On the other hand, the governor reiterated that OFWs will be allowed to return to the province as long as they comply with the requirements of the Provincial IATF-EID.
Any OFW who wishes to go back to Negros Oriental must secure a certificate which states that he/she has undergone two RT-PCR tests with negative results, another certificate from the Department of Health proving that he/she has undergone a 14-day quarantine, a certification citing that the OFW is fit to travel, and another certificate from the Overseas Workers Welfare Association proving the person is indeed an OFW. (ral/PIA7-Negros Oriental)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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