Gov’t eyeing to send OFWs negative for COVID-19 after short quarantine

May 31, 2020

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the government is targeting to allow overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who will be tested negative for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) to go home after a quarantine period of three days.

In a meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday night, Lorenzana said the system for the repatriation of OFWs was fixed with the coordination of concerned agencies like Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Interior and Local Government  (DILG) and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

"I can assure that it is already okay. We have fixed it and our target is that the OFWs will be allowed to go home in less than four days," he said.

"What we are planning here is when the OFWs arrive they will be tested with PCR, quarantine for three days. Then when the test result comes out and they are negative, they will be allowed to go home. Those who will be tested positive will remain. It will speed up the work of everyone as well as the return of the OFWs to their homes," he added.

Lorenzana also reported to Duterte that more than 24,000 stranded OFWs were sent home as of Wednesday.

"Your call to send the 24,000 OFWs back to their provinces were accomplished, and we're able to surpass that number because we have sent a total of 26,590," he said.

"As of last night, there are OFWs remaining there with those who just arrived today numbering to 7,569, of which 3,597 were sent to their provinces. There are 3,972 remaining OFWs and they can already go home by Sunday," he added.

Lorenzana also mentioned that according to Labor Sec. Silvestre Bello III, some 40,000 OFWs are expected to arrive in the country until the end of June. Robina Asido/DMS