Mayor Jerry Treñas was saddened by the situation of repatriated Ilonggo seafarers who have been quarantined at a hotel in Iloilo City.
“It pains me to know that this is the situation of our Ilonggo OFWs who went home,” Treñas said.
The seafarers complained of lack of food and drinking water. They also lamented the non-collection of their garbage.
On Friday, May 1, the city government sent food packs and hygiene kits to at least 100 quarantined seafarers who arrived in Iloilo City on Wednesday, April 29, from Manila.
“Together with the city government, we will take care of their meals. Our Uswag Kitchen Patrol headed by my wife will be making their meals daily. Since they don’t have toiletries and groceries, we providing them as well,” Treñas assured.
The repatriation of the seafarers was facililated by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in coordination with the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
OWWA also provided free hotel accomodation to the seafarers.
According to Treñas, the seafarers arrived in the city “without proper coordination” with the city government.
“I thought everything is already smooth, knowing that they didn’t even inform me that there are OFWs coming home,” he said.
“Why would they just send back our fellow Ilonggos here and not take care of them? Where is public service to this? Why are we in the government in the first place?”
In a press conference on Thursday, Treñas disclosed that nine of the seafarers tested positive for COVID-19 using rapid test kits.
“These included seven residents of Iloilo City and two residents of Guimaras. We are still waiting for their confirmatory PCR test,” he said.
“We have put in place proper protocols for health and safety in close coordination with the hotel management,” Treñas added.
Based on data from the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD-6), a total of 175 seafarers arrived in the city.IMT
