MANILA, Philippines — The Bases Conversion and Development Authority on Friday assured the local government of Capas, Tarlac that “preventive measures” are in place for the state’s plan to use a facility in New Clark City as a quarantine zone amid the novel coronavirus outbreak.
This was after Capas Mayor Reynaldo Catacutan said the local government
was not consulted when Health Secretary Francisco Duque III announced that the Athlete's Village in New Clark City will
be used to quarantine Filipino workers returning from Hubei, China, the epicenter of the SARS-like virus.
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“All preventive and precautionary measures are being put in place by the Task Force not only for our repatriated
kababayans, but
to also ensure that the adjacent communities of New Clark City and all
Capaseños
are kept safe and protected,” the BCDA said in a statement.
Catacutan has appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte and Duque to consider another facility as quarantine zone for suspected cases of the deadly virus.
At least 45 Filipinos in Hubei have requested to
be repatriated, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
The DFA has sent a repatriation team in Hubei's Wuhan City to
finalize the preparations to bring home Filipinos this weekend. — Ian Nicolas Cigaral with a report from Patricia Lourdes Viray