Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas has urged Congresswoman Julienne “Jamjam” Baronda to stop interfering in the repatriation of stranded overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Manila.
“Ang pangabay ko kay Jamjam, palihog ibilin nalang sa [Regional] IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) ang obra,” Treñas said in a press conference on Monday, May 4.
The irked mayor said Baronda is not coordinating with the Regional IATF which is chaired by Office of the Civil Defense (OCD-6) Director Jose Roberto Nuñez.
“Kon gusto ninyo magpatigayon hambalan nyo ang IATF, pero kon mag-obra kamo bilang IAFT, indi na ya pwede,” Treñas said.
“May napatigayon na kuno sila didto (Manila) nga na RT-PCR test, tapos paabutan na nila diri. Siling ko agi kamo to sa IATF,” he added.
Treñas stressed that proper coordination is important to ensure that protocols are followed and the needs of the repatriates are met.
According to the mayor, it would be better if Baronda leaves to the Regional IATF the facilitation of the overseas workers’ return to Iloilo.
Baronda and those others who interfere, Treñas said, are just making the repatriation process complicated rather than helping the stranded OFWs.
“Naistoryahan na ni tapos gamuhon naman nila. Tan-awa to ang tanabo sa una, palpak,” he lamented.
Last week, a total of 175 stranded seafarers arrived in the city from Manila. Broken down, 37 are from Aklan, 18 from Antique, 12 from Capiz, 68 from Iloilo province, five from Guimaras, and 35 from Iloilo City.
Those residents of Iloilo and Guimaras are currently staying at a hotel in the city.
On April 30, the Department of Health (DOH-6) announced that five of the repatriated seafarers tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
From the hotel, the five were transferred to Western Visayas Sanitarium in the town of Sta. Barbara for proper treatment.
Prior to the release of the test results, the quarantined seafarers complained of lack of food and drinking water. They also lamented the non-collection of their garbage.
Meanwhile, Treñas said the city government and Regional IATF are now finalizing details of the arrival of another batch of stranded OWFs from Manila. IMT
