The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA-6) blamed the delay in the release of COVID-19 test results for the lack of quarantine facilities (QFs) for repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
Rizza Joy Moldes, OWWA-6 officer-in-charge, wrote Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. a letter requesting for assistance to accomodate the OFWs.
“Please be informed that the OWWA Hotel QFs have already reached their maximum occupancy. The main reason is the delay in the release of RT-PCR test results of repatriated OFWs,” she said.
Moldes noted that since Aug. 10, they have been receiving and accomodating two to three sweeper flights per day with an average of 130 passengers per flight.
As of Aug. 10, OWWA-6 billeted a total of 2,120 OFWs in 29 hotels in the region.
According to Moldes, it takes at least 10 days before the test results come out.
“No matter how many hotels we tapped as QFs to accomodate returning OFWs, the problem still lies in delayed release of RT-PCR test results,” she said.
Hundreds of OFWs arrived in Iloilo from Manila over the weekend via sweeper flights.IMT
Photo by Bombo Radyo-Iloilo
