Quezon City to review sanitary permit of alleged ‘filthy’ quarantine hotel for OFWs
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Tourism said Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte is set to review and reinspect the sanitary permit of a quarantine hotel dedicated for returning overseas workers in the city who recently complained for its alleged “filthy” and “unhygienic” conditions.
Last Tuesday, ABS-CBN reported that some OFWs who recently returned to the country expressed alarm over the “poor sanitary conditions” at a quarantine hotel in Novaliches, Quezon City.
An inspection report submitted to Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat and was released to the media last Wednesday said that the hotel’s condition was confirmed by Hotel Duty Manager Rosemarie Mijares and a Bureau of Quarantine nurse on duty who refused to be named.
“The property alluded in the news report is Hotel Fox Urban Luxury (formerly MC Hotel by Red Doorz) with 103 OFWs under Magsaysay Maritime manning agency. Check-in of OFWs was April 11, 4PM,” the on-the-ground report read.
However, the DOT clarified that the property alluded to in the report has the mayor’s permit but it was not granted the DOT accreditation and Local Government Unit Tourism registration.
It said that the motel has already been inspected by the Bureau of Quarantine prior to the arrival of OFWs. The bureau is designated to clear the hotels that would serve as quarantine facilities for repatriated OFWs.
The DOT and QC Tourism Officer Tetta Tirona likewise conducted an inspection on Wednesday. The tourism agency’s team delivered hygiene kits for the OFWs then.
The inspection was followed by a meeting at the QC City Hall where Tirona recommended the review of the sanitary permit of the complained property.
Call to inspect 'filthy' quarantine hotel
On Friday, Sen. Risa Hontiveros urged the Department of Health and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration to ensure that quarantine facilities designated for returning OFWs do not have poor and unhealthy conditions.
She asked the DOH to do more to prevent quarantine hotels from being "hotspots of diseases not limited to COVID-19."
Hotels converted as quarantine facilities
The DOT has helped OWWA in securing hotel rooms for OFWs who are required to undergo a 14-day quarantine once they arrive in the country.
As of April 13, it managed to secure a total of 13,116 rooms in the National Capital Region for OFWs. But the DOT previously said that there are more hotels located outside Metro Manila for returning workers who may be billeted in near their home destinations. These are located in Regions 1, 2, 3, 4A, 7, 8 and 11.
The DOT earlier said the cost of the accommodation of OFWs “may be shouldered by the OWWA, other national government agencies, the OFWs’ recruiting agencies, or the OFWs themselves, as may be applicable.”
“The costs of the accommodation may be shouldered by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), other national government agencies, the OFWs’ recruiting agencies, or the OFWs themselves, as may be applicable,” it said last April 8.
Meanwhile, Belmonte previously said that an undisclosed hotel in Quezon City will be used as an additional quarantine facility for patients under investigation for COVID-19.
- Latest
- Trending
