Up to 100,000 OFWs seen repatriated amid COVID-19 pandemic -Galvez

Published April 14, 2020 08:45 PM By JULIA MARI ORNEDO,GMA News

Tens of thousands of Filipino migrant workers are expected to be repatriated amid the coronavirus pandemic, the chief implementer of the government’s COVID-19 response said on Tuesday.

“Tayo po ay kasalukuyang naghahanda sa pagbalik ng 70,000 hanggang 100,000 na OFWs sa bansa,” Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said at a virtual press briefing.

Galvez earlier said that the government had readied over 2,600 quarantine facilities nationwide

with a cumulative capacity of 165,756 patients as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to mount.

On Monday, the Ninoy Aquino Stadium was formally turned over

to the city government of Manila and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Galvez said the Armed Forces had deployed over 200 medical personnel to attend to patients at the stadium, the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, and the World Trade Center.

The Philippine National Police, for its part, will handle patients at the Philippine International Convention Center.

The Department of Health earlier announced that two passenger vessels that can accommodate 1,100 people will be converted into quarantine facilities for returning Filipino migrant workers and seafarers.

The number of Filipinos infected with COVID-19 globally rose to 704 on Tuesday with 88 deaths and 216 recoveries. -NB, GMA News

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