Solon wants probe into 'flip-flopping' of quarantine, testing protocols for OFWs

Kabayan party-list Representative Ron Salo on Monday filed a House resolution seeking an investigation into the frequent changes in testing and quarantine protocols being enforced by the government, particularly on overseas Filipino workers.

In filing House Resolution 1650, Salo wants the Committee on Health and the Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs to probe the alleged "flip-flopping" of testing and quarantine protocols for OFWs.

Salo pointed out that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has issued several "inconsistent" protocols which may have brought burden and stress to returning OFWs.

"The frequently changing testing and quarantine protocols for all persons allowed entry to the Philippines has caused confusion and stress to returning Filipinos, especially to OFWs who are returning for emergency reasons, such as terminal illness or death of a family member," Salo said.

"All this confusion on the protocols is compounded by the unnecessary stress caused by voluminous declarations and documents that need to be signed by the returning Filipinos, particularly the OFWs.” he added.

The lawmaker said the recent order of the government was that the mandatory 14-day quarantine period in a facility is no longer required, provided that the person’s RT-PCR test, which will be administered on the fifth day from the date of arrival, yields a negative result.

He noted that since April of last year, a number of OFWs already raised their concerns on the conflicting protocols from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

Salo said there is a need to institute streamlined protocols, adding that procedures must be simple and facilitative of the right to travel.

OWWA recently said around 10,000 repatriated OFWs are currently staying in 140 hotel quarantine facilities.

Around 80,000 to 100,000 more OFWs are seen to return home amid the health crisis.—AOL, GMA News