Gov’t to expedite processing, release of OFWs’ Covid test results

FILE: Overseas Filipino workers board a quarantine ship facility in April. (PNA photo)

MANILA – The national government will expedite the processing and release of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) test results of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to free up quarantine facilities and accommodate a fresh batch of repatriates expected to arrive in the coming weeks, Malacañang said on Wednesday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made this assurance after Presidential Peace Adviser and National Task Force Covid-19 Chief Implementer, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., said the arrival of some 42,000 returning migrant workers could overwhelm the country’s patient care centers.

Roque noted the importance of freeing up quarantine facilities, saying that the number of returning OFWs could rise when more sea-based OFWs start arriving.

“Importante po na talagang mapabilis ‘yung resulta dahil limitado naman ang mga hotel room na pag-uuwian ng mga OFW habang naghihintay po sila ng PCR result (We must expedite the results because we don’t have enough hotel rooms for our OFWs to stay in while they wait for their polymerase chain reaction test results),” he said in an interview over GMA’s Unang Hirit.

Roque said he would press concerned agencies, particularly the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), to process and release OFWs’ test results as early as possible.

“Ang pangako ko po sa inyo ngayon ay patuloy ko pong bubulabugin ang lahat ng inter-agency, ang OWWA, para malaman po natin at masiguro na unang-una, ang mga resulta, hindi na magtatagal kasi minsan ang mga result, napa-process na, hindi lang nare-relay no dahil nga po kinakailangan natin magkaroon pa ng mas maraming espasyo dahil mas marami po ang inaasahan nating pauwing mga OFW (My promise is that I will continue to badger all inter-agency, the OWWA, to find out and ensure that the results won’t take long, that they’re already being processed and being relayed because we need more space for the expected return of more OFWs),” he said.

In an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC), Roque bared that some 13,000 repatriated OFWs, or nearly half of those in the country, could “soon” leave quarantine facilities.

“There are now 13,000 (negative Covid-10) test results with certificates, meaning that the 13,000 individuals would soon be allowed to leave the quarantine facility,” he said.

In a meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte, taped and aired over state-run PTV4 late Tuesday night, Galvez said more than 27,000 repatriated OFWs are undergoing quarantine in various facilities in Metro Manila.

About 30,000 OFWs have undergone PCR testing. Of the 22,432 results that have been released, 465 have turned out positive, he said.

Roque earlier assured that the government would address the complaints of OFWs stuck in quarantine facilities beyond the mandatory 14-day quarantine period.

He also asked the OWWA to provide an inventory of repatriated OFWs still awaiting results of their tests in quarantine facilities.

The government has turned massive convention centers and sports facilities as patient care centers for OFWs and suspected Covid-19 patients.

Hotels and passenger ships are also being used as quarantine facilities.

The Bureau of Quarantine, as of May 13, has been manning a total of 80 quarantine facilities (58 are hotels or similar facilities, while 22 are cruise ships) covering 12,476 repatriates.

As of May 14, there were 32,264 repatriates from 362 vessels, 22,903 or 71 percent of whom have completed their respective quarantine.

Of the 8,130 land-based repatriates, 7,446 or 92 percent are still in quarantine.

All returning OFWs are required to undergo facility-based quarantine and testing for Covid-19 under the guidelines of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.