Next LSI send-offs to be done ‘in packets’ to avoid Rizal Stadium repeat —DOLE exec

Succeeding send-offs of locally stranded individuals (LSIs) will be carried out in "packets" to prevent a repeat of the 7,500 crammed into the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex waiting for their trip home.

Assistant Secretary Benjo Benavidez of the Department of Labor and Employment, a member agency of the technical working group (TWG) tasked to assist LSIs in returning to their home provinces, made the remark on Thursday during the hybrid meeting of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability.

Benavidez told members of the panel that the incident at Rizal Memorial Sports Complex will no longer be repeated, and that the TWG will be implementing a new system.

"Actually bago pa namin ma-dispatch yung last batch ng LSI papuntang Zamboanga, nag-uusap-usap na kami kung paano ang mga susunod na send-off," he said.

"Ito ay sa pamamagitan ng packet send-off, per region ii-identify namin nang sa ganun ay hindi sumugod ang mga LSI sa iisang lugar," he added.

In the previous "grand send-offs," Benavidez said, LSIs were dispatched per island region—for example, Mindanao on the first day and Luzon on the second day.

He said that the surge of LSIs was due to their going to the stadium even though they were not yet scheduled to leave.

"Upang maiwasan yung mga ganito nating karanasan, pinag-uusapan na namin sa TWG na ihiwalay sa iba't ibang dates yung pagpapauwi sa mga LSI sa iba't ibang probinsya o rehiyon," Benavidez said.

"Let's say for next week, papadala natin yung mga LSI papuntang Region XII or Region XIII. Hindi na natin paghahalu-haluin," he added.

Benavidez said they are coordinating with local government units (LGUs) before they allow LSIs to travel home, and that they do not dispatch individuals until and unless they have clearance from the LGUs.

"Yung close coordination namin ay ginagawa ng Presidential Management Staff sa pamamagitan ng kanilang mga regional field units. Sila ang direktang nakikipag-usap sa mga governor at city mayors," he said.

"Doon namin nalalaman kung anong mga probinsya o mga siyudad ang may moratorium at doon din namin nalalaman kung anong probinsya o lugar ang may limitation doon sa bilang ng mga LSI na pwedeng pauwiin," he added.

Two grand send-offs for LSIs have so far been conducted. The first was on July 4 to 5 and the second was on July 25 to 26, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Irene Malong of the DSWD said that each LSI from these two grand send-offs received P2,000 cash assistance as part of the department's commitment to the Hatid Tulong program. Those with accompanying children also received an additional P1,000, she added.

The DSWD also provided food and non-food assistance such as sleeping kits and sanitary kits, she added.

LSIs had earlier flocked to the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex to avail of the government’s Hatid Tulong Program to bring them home to the provinces.

The complex eventually reached capacity and many of them had to sleep in the streets outside the stadium.

At least 48 LSIs in the complex tested positive for COVID-19 via rapid tests, according to Hatid Tulong Program lead convenor Assistant Secretary Joseph Encabo.

On Thursday, the last batch of LSIs had left, and the complex was closed for sanitation and disinfection. — BM, GMA News