MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte ordered local governments to allow repatriated Filipino workers who were affected by the coronavirus disease pandemic to return to their hometowns.
In a public address aired late Monday, the chief executive said it is “cruel” to keep OFWs from coming home.
“In their desire to protect their respective turf, territories kaya ganun man, and I can say that if that is the way they would handle it… okay ‘yan. Pero alam mo hindi naman lahat talaga nagkasakit (not everyone was infected) and it is very cruel actually to deny them to go home,” Duterte said.
This came a day after he ordered the Department of Labor and Employment, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and the Department of Health to bring repatriated workers to their home provinces within one week.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said that all the 24,000 repatriated workers have tested negative for the coronavirus.
Duterte also stressed it is the “constitutional right” of OFWs to return home.
“You know, I’m ordering you to accept them, open the gates of your territories and allow the people—and allow the Filipinos to travel wherever they want,” the president said.
“Do not impede it. Do not obstruct the movement of people because you run the risk of getting sued criminally,” he added.
Some 62,000 migrant workers are expected to return to the Philippines soon, the president also said.
The government on Monday began sending home some 24,000 repatriated Filipino workers stranded at various quarantine facilities in Metro Manila. Despite testing negative for COVID-19 and staying in quarantine facilities beyond the mandatory 14-day isolation period, many OFWs were still stuck at quarantine facilities due to lack of clearances. — Gaea Katreena Cabico