Catanduanes Governor Joseph Cua. (File photo)
LEGAZPI CITY – Catanduanes Governor Joseph Cua on Friday said the presentation of negative coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) swab test results would be waived for persons who would conduct emergency relief operations and help in ongoing rehabilitation efforts in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Rolly.
In his Executive Order 050, series of 2020, Cua said the lifting of some quarantine requirements would expedite the rehabilitation works that the island residents are direly needing such as the restoration of electricity and internet connections.
“All individuals traveling to Catanduanes to conduct emergency relief operations in the province shall only present medical clearance certificate (MCC) and travel order (TO),” Cua cited in his order.
Cua added that “in time of calamity and emergency which needs swift action, the requirements for RT-PCR Test is waived to facilitate emergency relief operations”.
Cua also requested the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Bicol to allow them to suspend the entry of locally stranded individuals (LSI) and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the province as the provincial government has already run out of resources to accommodate them.
“We request a halt in the repatriation of LSIs and returning overseas Filipinos due to the strained resources of the provincial government (of Catanduanes),” Cua wrote DILG Bicol.
He added that “accepting this measure would allow us to transfer personnel to other critical areas and divert needed resources like food and shelter to those who have lost their homes and livelihoods because of the typhoon”.
Hundreds of emergency workers had already started to arrive at Catanduanes to help in rebuilding houses, electric and water facilities, and communication systems toppled down and flattened by Typhoon Quinta and Super Typhoon Rolly last October 25 and November 1, respectively.
These two typhoons had left at least 15,000 houses totally damaged in the island province. (PNA)
