No final decision on proposed easing of quarantine rules for OFWs

MANILA – The government has yet to decide on the proposed relaxation of quarantine protocols for returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), Malacañang said on Thursday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque issued the statement a day after President Rodrigo Duterte admitted that he is uncomfortable with the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) suggestion to shorten the mandated 14-day quarantine period for returning OFWs.

Roque, in an online press conference, said members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) will discuss the proposal to come up with a final decision.

“Wala pa pong pinal na desisyon sa bagay na ito dahil paguusapan pa ito sa pagpupulong ng ating IATF (There is no final decision yet because this has to be discussed first in the next IATF meeting),” he said.

In a pre-recorded meeting with his Cabinet and medical experts, Duterte raised worry over Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello’s appeal to ease the quarantine rules for OFWs.

Duterte emphasized that while he understands Bello’s concern, he is “not ready” to compromise Filipinos’ health.

Bello asked Duterte to shorten the quarantine period for returning OFWs because the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) is already running out of funds to provide funds for their stay in isolation facilities.

Earlier, the OWWA sought an additional PHP9.8 billion to cover its mounting expenses to provide quarantine accommodations for returning OFWs.

Roque said Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado had promised to look for money to augment OWWA’s funds for returning OFWs.

“Ang sabi naman ni Sec. Wendel, kung talagang kinakailangang gastusan iyan, hahanapan at hahanapan po iyan ng pondo (Sec Wendel said we will look for funds if we really need to finance [the OFWs’ quarantine accommodation]),” he said.

Medical experts told Duterte during the virtual conference that OFWs could leave the quarantine facility after 10 days, so long as they are asymptomatic.

US entitled to advise citizens vs. traveling to PH

Meantime, Roque said the government respects the United States’ (US) decision to warn its citizens against traveling to the Philippines.

This, after the US State Department issued a travel advisory on April 19, telling its citizens to avoid going to the Philippines due to the “high level of Covid-19.”

Roque said he sees nothing wrong with the US’ warning.

“Wala pong ibig sabihin kasi sa totoo lang, dito sa Pilipinas, wala tayong pinapapasok na dayuhan. So naiintindihan naman po natin iyan (That has no hidden meaning because honestly, the Philippines is also not allowing the entry of foreign nationals. So we understand that),” he said.

Roque said all countries, including the US, are entitled to caution their citizens amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Habang patuloy pa ang pandemya, entitled naman ang mga bansa na mag-warn sa kanilang mga national (While there is still a pandemic, all nations are entitled to warn their citizens),” he said.

The Philippines has extended the suspension of foreign nationals’ entry to the country until April 30 in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19.