Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 13) – At least 171 overseas Filipino workers who have flown home tested positive for COVID-19 while in quarantine centers, COVID-19 response chief implementer Carlito Galvez, Jr. said Wednesday.
Galvez said authorities have so far received 5,439 test results out of the 12,000 specimens sent to the testing laboratories of the Philippine Red Cross. A total of 20,569 OFWs currently in quarantine centers have been swabbed for testing, he added.
Deputy chief implementer Vince Dizon earlier said that the government will prioritize 25,000 returning OFWs for testing this month, so that those who do not have the coronavirus will be allowed to return to their hometowns as soon as possible.
Galvez said 5,268 results were negative, with positive cases accounting for 4.4 percent of the initial tally. Meanwhile, 4,593 OFWs have secured quarantine certificates after completing the required 14-day isolation in facilities within the greater Manila area.
“Ito ngayon ay pinaplano na ng MARINA (Maritime Industry Authority) at saka ng DOTr (Department of Transportation) at ng Philippine Coast Guard para po makauwi na sila [MARINA, DOTr, and the Philippine Coast Guard are now preparing to help them return to their families],” Galvez said during a Wednesday briefing in Malacañang.
Authorities banned all inbound international flights carrying passengers from May 3-8 to manage the volume of returning Filipinos in quarantine centers. Now, Galvez said they are implementing “controlled inbound flights” where they only accept up to three flights so they can limit entries to 400-600 Filipino nationals per day. He added that they will only ease arrival restrictions once the government finishes testing the more than 24,000 Filipinos workers who flew home in recent weeks.
Work is also underway to usher in thousands of homebound seafarers, Galvez added.
