REPATRIATED. Newly-arrived overseas Filipino workers disembark at the Antique National School in San Jose de Buenavista for the rapid diagnostic test and Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction test on Thursday (May 26, 2020). They are part of the total 176 from Manila who availed of the national government repatriation program. (Photo courtesy of Antique PDRRMO)
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – A total of 176 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) stranded in Manila have already returned to Antique through the OFW Return Program of the national government.
Prisceli Joyce Lizcel Galuego, in-charge of the provincial government’s OFW Desk, said in an interview Thursday the total number included those who have arrived in the province from May 25 until May 28.
“Early this morning, there were 17 OFWs who arrived through a sweeper flight,” she said.
They were picked up at the Iloilo International Airport by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and its municipal counterparts where the OFWs reside.
Galuego said the newly-arrived OFWs were taken to the Antique National School (ANS) were they had to undergo the free rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and the Reverse transcription Polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test conducted by the health personnel of the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO).
“The OFWs are also required to undergo the 14 days quarantine in their municipalities,” she said.
Three of the new arrivals are from this capital town, two each from Belison, Hamtic, San Remigio, Sibalom; and one each from Barbaza, Bugasong, Culasi, Pandan, Tibiao, and Valderrama.
The OFWs who arrived since May 25 through sweeper flights and 2GO vessel are from the municipalities of San Jose de Buenavista with 27; Sibalom, 19; Hamtic,18; Anini-y, 16; Culasi, 14; Pandan, 13; Tobias Fornier, 12; Bugasong, nine; Tibiao, eight; Patnongon, seven; Belison and Laua-an, six each; Libertad and San Remigio, five each; Sebaste four; Barbaza and Valderrama, three each; and Caluya, one.
Aside from those who arrived from Manila, five OFWs arrived from Cebu City through a chartered plane that landed at the Antique Airport, San Jose de Buenavista on May 23, Galuego said.
They, however, paid for their own airfare so they could come home. (PNA)
