Duterte to local officials: Accept returning OFWs

MANILA, Philippines — Saying the right to travel is protected by the Constitution, President Duterte has urged local officials to accept the more than 24,000 returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who have completed quarantine in Metro Manila. 

Duterte appealed for compassion for fellow Filipinos, particularly the OFWs who have been regarded as modern-day heroes. 

“One, in the name of humanity. Two it’s a constitutional right and this is what weighs the most. It is the constitutional right of people to travel and go home,” Duterte said on Monday night.

After a long journey home faced with uncertainties, these OFWs just want to be reunited with their families and loved ones, he said, warning of criminal offenses if the right to travel is impeded.

“Do not obstruct the movement of people because you run the risk of getting sued criminally. Because it is the national government who declared a national emergency involving a pandemic, an issue of health,” he said.

Citing reports from the Overseas Welfare Workers Administration (OWWA), presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said a total of 8,922 OFWs have returned to their hometowns, bringing to 11,848 the total number who have returned to their localities.

Duterte said only the national government could restrict travel in the wake of a public health emergency.

“And that power to declare is not shared by anybody. It’s the national government,” he said. 

Duterte rebuked some local officials who opposed the return of OFWs.

Ormoc Mayor Richard Gomez earlier appealed for better coordination between local governments and agencies facilitating the return of residents. 

“For cities that refuse to accept the OFWs, I’m ordering you to accept them, open the gates of your territories and allow the people to travel wherever they want,” Duterte said.

Gomez said he has no issue accepting returning residents as long as they are documented and properly tested. Ormoc has no cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) since the lockdown started on March 15.

Without naming any local official, Duterte reminded local government units to abide by the directives of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Duterte said the national government lays down the guidelines, which should be followed down to cities and municipalities in order to have a unified approach in the fight against COVID-19. Otherwise, there will be confusion.

“It would be difficult if you implement your own rules. There will be chaos. If you want a measure to be implemented in your local government unit, ask permission from the Task Force because it involves many issues,” he said.

Accountable

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said local chief executives who would prevent OFWs from returning home would be held accountable.

Año said he would file charges against officials who would give OFWs a hard time in returning to their community.

“I will make sure you will be held accountable as your refusal is not according to the orders of the President and Bayanihan Act,” Año said during the Laging Handa press briefing yesterday.

He said local officials should stop whining about the government’s decision to send OFWs home.

Año admitted that the protocol of informing local officials three days prior to the arrival of stranded people was not followed in the case of OFWs. 

He said local officials should not use this as a reason to complain, but instead impose health and safety measures like placing in quarantine OFWs with symptoms of the disease.

Meanwhile, displaced OFWs who have returned home may start planning their business venture or other alternative source of livelihood.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said it is ready to resume its livelihood program for displaced OFWs.

“OWWA will resume the Balik-Pilipinas, Balik-Hanapbuhay (BPBH) livelihood program for OFWs who are OWWA members,” OWWA chief Hans Cacdac said.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, who chairs the OWWA board, ordered the resumption of the livelihood program.

Bello earlier ordered the enhancement of the BPBH to make it more responsive to OWWA members.

Beneficiaries of the livelihood assistance will be provided P20,000 in cash assistance, including entrepreneurial training and provision of a starter kit.

Under the program, OWWA offers additional assistance to its member-beneficiaries by referring potential marketing linkages and partnering with other government institutions.

Bello said if the cash grant will not be sufficient, the government is ready to provide interest-free loans to displaced OFWs.

Legal action

A group of OFWs is preparing to take legal action against the government for posting online the names of returning migrants who tested negative for COVID.

Migrante International demanded the immediate dismissal from government of people behind the release of the names of OFWs.

“While we support the use of digital means to expedite the process, it should never be at the cost of breaking the rights to privacy of the OFWs,” Migrante said.

“Worst, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has been publishing on its social media account Google Drive Link, which has no online security to safeguard sensitive data,” the group said. Edith Regalado, Emmanuel Tupas, Mayen Jaymalin, Cecille Suerte Felipe