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(FILE) Repatriated overseas Filipino workers arrive at an airport after they were allowed to return home after weeks of quarantine amid the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Pasay City, Metro Manila , Philippines, May 26, 2020. REUTERS / Eloisa Lopez
MANILA, Philippines – Filipino Overseas Workers (OFW) in countries affected by the new strain of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) will still be able to return home, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said Tuesday.
“They will be allowed to go home but will have to undergo a 14-day quarantine. Kahit na pagdating nila, na-swab sila, negative sila, they still have to undergo the 14-day quarantine, ”DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III said at an online press conference.
(They will be allowed to go home, but they will have to undergo the 14-day quarantine. When they get here, get a swab and the result is negative, they would still have to undergo the 14-day quarantine.)
“You can go home for the holidays, for the New Year, according to the strict order of our president,” he added.
Bello also said OFWs that have already been vaccinated against COVID-19 will still need to undergo mandatory quarantine.
The new strain COVID-19, which is said to be more infectious, emerged from the United Kingdom (UK).
The Philippines initially imposed a travel ban on flights from the UK to prevent possible transmission.
On Tuesday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said that President Rodrigo Duterte approved the recommendation of the Interagency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to impose a travel ban from December 30 to January 15 at 20 Countries with the COVID-19 Variant found in the UK.
At least 60,000 to 100,000 OFW are expected to return home from these countries, according to Bello.
“Many of our compatriots were hit,” said the Labor chief.
(Many of our fellow Filipinos were displaced by the pandemic.)
As of Dec. 29, Bello said that more than 388,000 displaced lost foreign workers had been repatriated to the Philippines since the start of the pandemic.
/ MUF
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