EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES

It was okay for officials to welcome Olympians amid COVID-19 –Roque

Malacañang on Tuesday said it was acceptable for officials to personally welcome Filipino Olympic medal winners at the airport on Monday, despite COVID-19 quarantine requirements, given the extraordinary circumstances.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque made the response when asked as to why officials like Senator Bong Go and Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea were allowed to welcome Olympic boxers Nesthy Petecio, Irish Magno, Carlo Paalam, and Eumir Marcial when they returned to the country.

The country’s COVID-19 protocols imposes a 10-day facility quarantine for returning Filipinos who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

“Siguro, exceptional naman iyon. Alam natin kung ano ang protocol,” Roque said.

(Maybe that is an exceptional case. We know the protocol.)

“I think ang nangyari naman is very exceptional, nagwagi po sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon ang ating mga atleta sa Olympics at karapat-dapat lamang, bagama’t may pandemya, ay magkaroon man lang sila ng hero’s welcome,” the President's spokesperson added.

(I would say what happened was an exceptional circumstance because our athletes won for the first time in the Olympics and it is only fitting that they are given a hero’s welcome)

The Philippines is coming off its best finish in the Olympic Games since joining it in 1924 with a medal haul of one gold, two silvers, and one bronze.

Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz won the country’s first Olympic gold medal in the -55 kilograms category, while boxers Petecio and Paalam bagged silver medals in women's featherweight and men's flyweight division, respectively. Boxer Marcial, on the other hand, won a bronze in the men's middleweight category.

Roque then said that if anything, the decision to welcome the Olympians posed a risk to the government officials.

“If at all, ang mga nagbuwis ng buhay po ay iyong mga sumalubong, kasama na po diyan si Executive Secretary Medialdea at saka si Senator Bong Go,” Roque said.

(If anything, the ones who risked their lives are the people who welcomed them, including Executive Secretary Medialdea and Senator Go.)

After being welcomed by Medialdea, Go and other officials, the Olympians had a virtual courtesy call with President Rodrigo Duterte.

Roque then assured the public that the Olympians will still follow the health protocols.

“The protocol remains. Had they presented their vaccination certificates bago pumunta ng Tokyo, seven days mandatory po iyan. At hindi naman po sila pinayagang makaalis ng airport dahil diretso po sila sa quarantine facility,” Roque added.

(If they present their vaccine certificates showing they are fully vaccinated before going to Tokyo, they will undergo a seven-day facility quarantine. They won’t be allowed to leave the airport for now because they will proceed to the quarantine facility

— DVM, GMA News