No lapses in return of LSIs to their hometowns: Palace

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the problem lies not in lapses in ferrying LSIs back home, but the lack of available polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test kits. (File Photo: YANCY LIM/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

MANILA – Malacañang believes that there were no lapses done in the process of sending locally stranded individuals (LSIs) back to their respective hometowns amid lawmakers’ calls for the review of the government’s Hatid Probinsya (Hatid Tulong) program.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the problem lies not in lapses in ferrying LSIs back home, but the lack of available polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test kits.

Due to the lack of PCR test kits, he explained that LSIs were only issued with medical certificates before being allowed to return to their respective hometowns.

“Siguro po, wala namang lapses. Ang meron po tayo kakulangan ng testing kits (Perhaps there are no lapses. The problem we have is the lack of testing kits),” he said in a virtual presser on Monday.

Roque said local government units (LGUs) were running out of PCR test kits because they were being used mostly for repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

“Napakadami po kasing mga OFWs na umuuwi…Naubos po. Sila po ang gumagamit ng mga testing kits natin na PCR at hindi naman tayo pumapayag na rapid test kits lamang no (There are so many OFWs returning home. We’re running out of test kits. They’re the ones using the PCR test kits because we don’t allow them to undergo rapid test kits only),” he said.

The PCR test kits, which are considered as the “gold standard” for diagnosing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) infections, use nose and throat swab samples to find out whether a person is infected with coronavirus.

Rapid anti-body test kits use blood samples which are unable to detect the virus but instead measures a patient’s antibodies through the sample. These tests are still subjected to PCR confirmatory tests.

Citing National Policy Against Covid-19 Chief Implementer Carlito Galvez Jr., Roque said around 8 million PCR test kits are expected to arrive to augment the existing number of test kits.

Roque said that once the additional test kits arrive, LGUs would be better prepared to accept LSIs.

“Pag dumating na ito, mabibigyan na po natin ang lahat ng uuwi sa kanilang probinsya ng PCR test. Pero tingin ko naman po, hindi lapse ‘yan kundi napakadami lang ang umuuwing mga OFWs (When these test kits arrive, we will be able to give all returning LSIs PCR tests. But I don’t think it was a lapse, because there are too many OFWs returning home),” he said.

For the meantime, Roque said LGUs should not panic in case a returning LSI shows symptoms of Covid-19.

“Siguro nagpa-panic lang yung ilang mga LGUs natin kasi dati wala silang Covid case, pero wala naman pong problema. Maski magkaroon kayo ng Covid case, i-quarantine niyo lang po, isolate, at gamutin (Perhaps some LGUs are panicking because they previously did not have any Covid cases, but that’s not a problem. Even if they get a new Covid case, just quarantine them, isolate, and treat),” he said.

Earlier, Roque said the government is “polishing” health and safety protocols for the return of LSIs to their respective hometowns while Galvez noted that the National Task Force will temporarily regulate the Hatid Probinsya (Hatid Tulong) program.

Last week, 12 lawmakers from Eastern Visayas called for a review of the Hatid Probinsya (Hatid Tulong) program in light of the rising number of Covid-19 cases in their region.

The joint statement was signed by House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez; Northern Samar Reps. Paul Ruiz Daza and Jose Ong Jr.; Western Samar Reps. Edgar Sarmiento and Sharee Tan; Leyte Reps. Lucy Torres-Gomez, Carl Cari, and Vicente Veloso; Southern Leyte Rep. Roger Mercado; Eastern Samar Rep. Maria Fe Abunda; Biliran Rep. Gerardo Espina Jr.; and Tingog Party-list Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez.