Bohol promises ‘homecoming’ for stranded Boholanos

Port of Tagbilaran City, Bohol. CDN Digital photo | Brian J. Ochoa

CEBU CITY, Philippines  —  The Bohol provincial government has promised Boholanos who are stranded in other provinces due to the mobility restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic that they will be allowed to go home soon.

Dr. Yul Lopez, Bohol’s spokesperson on COVID-19 updates, said they are now evaluating the draft protocols that will be observed when the stranded Boholanos will return home.

In a virtual presser on Tuesday afternoon, May 12, 2020, Lopez assured that there will be a homecoming for the stranded Boholanos but stressed that proper guidelines should be in place first to ensure the safety of the other residents of the province.

“Among ihatag ang among pasalig nga mosunod na ta. Once mapahiluna nato ang atong OFWs, sa sunod nga higayon ato nang sugdan sad ang pagpapauli sa mga non-OFW Boholanos,” Lopez said.

(We are giving our word that you will be next. Once everything is in place for the repatriated OFWs, we will already start bringing home those non-OFW Boholanos.)

READ: Bohol OFWs may extend quarantine period due to delay of PCR test result

READ: Bohol awaits results of 163 COVID-19 tests

At present, the provincial government of Bohol is still awaiting the COVID-19 PCR test results of the first 65 OFWs who arrived in the province last April 28.

Lopez also assured that the province is not overlooking the situation of their stranded citizens, some of whom have lost their jobs in the other provinces where they are now staying.

“We are very sensitive to your situation. Daghan ang nawad-an na sa trabaho. Daghan ang nagtaho nga lisod na ilang kahimtang. We are preparing. Be assured that Bohol is preparing for the subsequent homecoming of the stranded Boholanos.” Lopez said.

READ: Bohol to release P620K for stranded constituent

Lopez said their draft guidelines include the requirements that the returning Boholanos will need to comply with the protocols that they will follow once they set foot in Bohol.

The health official added that they will also qualify the protocols for the returning Boholanos based on COVID-19 situation in their places of origin. Lopez was referring to the national Interagency Task Force’s (IATF) classification of the areas in the country based on the number of cases there.

In IATF’s resolution no. 35, Cebu City is considered a high-risk area and is placed under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until May 31.

The rest of Cebu province and the cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu are in similar classification with Bohol that is recommended to be under General Community Quarantine until May 31. /rcg