Gov't to review policy on mandatory COVID-19 testing, quarantine for returning Pinoys

The government will review its policy on mandatory COVID-19 tests and 14-day quarantine for returning overseas Filipinos amid reports of chaos in the airport due to influx of arrivals, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said Wednesday.

Tugade made the statement when asked by Senator Grace Poe if reports of a chaotic process has become the new normal.

Poe relayed a complaint of returning overseas Filipinos that they do not have point persons to talk to regarding the orderly process for their COVID-19 testing, the lack of information on how they can reach the government quarantine facility where they are supposed to be confined for 14 days, and the delayed release of COVID-19 tests.

“Regular po ba itong nangyayari sa ating paliparan? Hindi po. Ito po ay isolated case lamang. But as isolated as the case may be or it may appear, we will consider this information on how we can improve,” Tugade said.

The DOTr chief, however, conceded that the process can get complicated with too many government agencies involved.

“Andiyan po ang Inter-Agency Task Force, tapos ang Bureau of Quarantine naman po sa DOH (Department of Health). Kung saang facility naman po ilalagay ‘yung OFWs, sa OWWA naman po iyon,” Tugade said.

“In fact, I have insisted in several meetings that we review the process because we are also receiving questions like these,” he added.

Earlier, National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez, Jr. said that 42,000 OFWs due to arrive in the country could overwhelm the existing quarantine facilities.

In less than a day, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said that 13,000 OFWs are now ready to be sent home since they tested negative for COVID-19 and are finished with their 14-day quarantine.

Roque said that the arriving OFWs can reach as much as 80,000, counting those OFWs who work in cruise ships.

“Kailangan po talaga mapabilis dahil limitado rin po ang ating mga hotel rooms [as quarantine facility],” Roque said.

At least 456 OFWs have tested positive for COVID-19 thus far.

During the Senate hearing held on Wednesday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III also assured the public that government agencies will assist in speeding up the release of COVID-19 test results by deploying encoders.

“Lahat po ng ating national at subnational laboratories ay tutulong to boost our testing capacity, and we commit to deploying additional encoders to facilitate the speedy release of the COVID-19 tests,” Duque said.

“Hindi lang po sa paglabas ng resulta, kundi sa timeline rin po ng paglalabas so we can address the gap,” he added. —AOL/RSJ, GMA News