271 Boholanos stranded in Rizal stadium back home

LSIs from Manila arrived in Bohol province at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, July 28. | Contributed photo/PCG-7

CEBU CITY, Philippines  — At least 271 locally stranded individuals are set to arrive in Bohol province today, Tuesday, July 28, aboard three separate sea trips from Manila.

Commander Alvin Dagalea, the spokesperson of the Philippine Coast Guard District Central Visayas (PCGDCV), said the arriving LSIs are among those who stayed in the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Malate, Manila to avail of the government’s Hatid Tulong program.

READ: Thousands of LSIs crammed inside Rizal Memorial stadium amid COVID-19 risks

The first batch of the LSIs bound for Bohol, consisting of 24 persons, arrived at the Tagbilaran Port in Bohol around 7 a.m. this Tuesday.

Dagalea said 247 other LSIs are set to arrive at the same port later in the day, at around 3 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., onboard BRP Gabriela Silang and BRP Cabra.

Wanting to return to their provinces, thousands of flooded the Rizal Memorial baseball on Saturday, breaking physical distancing protocols, to avail of the government’s Hatid Tulong program.

On Monday, July 27, authorities have found that eight to nine LSIs yielded positive results in the rapid antibody test conducted on them over the weekend.

In an Inquirer report, “Hatid Tulong” program lead convenor and Presidential Management Staff Assistant Secretary Joseph Encabo was quoted as saying that he LSIs who tested positive in rapid tests were immediately brought to isolation areas and were subjected to confirmatory swab tests facilitated by personnel of the Department of Health. / dcb