PCOO PR
MANILA – There will no longer be grand send-offs of locally stranded individuals back to their home provinces. Instead, a clustered send-off will be organized, according to Hatid Tulong Program Lead Convenor and Presidential Management Staff (PMS) Assistant Secretary Joseph “Joy” Encabo on Tuesday.
He said that the Technical Working Group has worked out this new approach to ensure the safety and health of individuals and families who wish to go home.
“Magkakaroon po ng panibagong approach at paghahanda dahil ang susunod na mga send-off na lang po o clustered send-offs, hindi na po tayo magkakaroon ng grand send-off para po maiwasan natin ang issue ng social distancing [We will be having a new approach and preparation because in our next send-off, there will only be clustered send-offs. There will no longer be grand send-off to avoid the issue on social distancing],” he said during Tuesday’s Network Briefing News hosted by Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar.
The initiative was able to send home 6,583 individuals.
Asec. Encabo assured the public that they will be more organized and careful on the following send-off to ensure that LGUs and LSIs are properly coordinated and, at the same time, contain the spread of the COVID-19 infection.
“Mas magiging komprehensibo, maingat, at maayos ang ating mga susunod na mga send-off sa darating na linggo [The next send-off in the coming weeks will be more comprehensive, careful and organized],” he said.
With the declaration of Modified Enhaced Community Quarantine (MECQ) in Metro Manila, Asec. Encabo said that this will pose a challenge for them. Aside from LSIs, the group is also expecting to accommodate the arrival of more returning overseas Filipinos.
Hatid Tulong is seeking the approval of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to spare the LSIs and ROFs from the travel restrictions.
“Dahil po sa deklarasyon ng MECQ, ang Hatid Tulog Initative Technical Working Group ay susulat sa IATF upang magkaroon po ng exemption sa status na yan kasi nga po kapag hindi natin aasikasuhin sa loob ng dalawang linggo ay talagang magkakaroon ng matagal na pag-aantay at mas magiging vulnerable at magiging psychologically disturbed ang ating mga LSIs [Because of the declaration of MECQ, the Hatid Tulong Initiative Technical Working Group will write to the IATF to request the exemption on their status because if we do not process this in two weeks, there will be prolonged waiting on the part of the LSIs.
Also, they will be more vulnerable and they might become psychologically disturbed],” he said noting that this LSIs have already waited so long to be united with their families.
Their request is expected to be sent to the IATF-EID by Wednesday, August 5.
“Assuming na mai-grant kami, we are expected na mayroon kaming nakasalang na 500+ LSIs na pauuwiin namin. Pero pag hindi kami maaprubahan, eh, talagang mag-aantay po yung LSIs doon sa mga staging areas o temporary shelter areas natin [Assuming that our request will be granted, we are expecting to send home more than 500 LSIs. But if not, then our LSIs will have to wait further while they stay in our staging areas or temporary shelter areas],” he added.
Meanwhile, PCOO Secretary Andanar expressed his support on this request and said he would help bring up this concern to the IATF-EID.
“You have my support, Asec Joy Encabo. Ipaparating ko yan sa IATF,” he said.
