(Eagle News) — The mayor of Capas, Tarlac has expressed apprehension about the quarantine of almost 500 Filipinos from the Japan cruise at the New Clark City Athletes’ Village in his area, saying that the number would be too much to handle and could pose a safety and health risk for his constituents.qu
Capas City mayor Reynaldo Catacutan said that while they had agreed on the earlier repatriation of some 30 Filipinos coming from the coronavirus epicenter in Wuhan City, China, he and his townmates are worried with the hundreds of Filipino repatriates coming from the Diamond Princess, which had been in the limelight for the most number of coronavirus disease infections outside of mainland China.
Catacutan is worried that there might not be enough personnel to man the NCC and to attend to the needs of the more than 400 repatriates. He said that the safety of his townmates should also be considered.
-This should be a shared responsibility, says Capas mayor on quarantine area for Filipinos-
“Bilang ama ng Capas, I have to consider the safety and welfare of my people. All should be a shared responsibility and not Capas alone,” he said in a video message posted in the Capas Information Office’s facebook page.
The mayor said that the repatriates from Japan should be distributed to the region where they live.
“We sincerely suggest na mahati ang kanilang bilang at mailagay sa ibang mga facilities…. Ang mga taga-Mindanao, sa Mindanao. Ang mga taga-Visayas, sa Visayas para mas malapit sa kanilang pamilya, at hindi na natin kailangang hakutin ang mga doktor para rito,” he said.
“Ang mga taga-Luzon, kami na po ang bahala sa Capas,” he added.
Catacutan said that the number of the repatriates expected to arrive after the completion of their tests in Japan, were simply “too much to handle” and could be a problem. He said that he had expressed this apprehension with the Department of Health.
“Five hundred (500) is a number but for me that is too much to handle. and if you are not prepared, malaki po ito. Talagang marami kung ikukumpara sa bilang ng mga Pilipino na nasa pangangalaga ngayon ng DOH sa New Clark City, which is 30 o sabihin na po nating 89, including the pilot, the cabin crew, the bus drivers and the medical teams,” he said.
“Handa po ba ang mga medical teams? Sapat kaya ang mga pasilidad ng New Clark City?” he asked.
Tarlac Governor Susan Yap has made similar pronouncements.
“Is it fair that Tarlac alone carries the entire burden? Five hundred may be a bit too much,” Yap said.
As the mother of our province, I ask all of us to be strong. I have faith we will overcome all trials safely. We will welcome our brothers as that is the humane and Christian thing to do,” she added.
-Filipino repatriates should first test negative for COVID-19, says DOH –
The Inter-agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IAFT-EID) headed by the DOH had earlier designated the New Clark City as the “quarantine facility” for the repatriates from areas affected by the COVID-19 abroad.
The DOH has repeatedly also assured the public and the local officials that the Filipinos who would be repatriated should be first test negative for the COVID-19 and should be symptomatic, meaning that they should not exhibit the usual symptoms of the virus, namely cough, colds and fever.
“The Bases Conversion Development Authority has graciously agreed to once again lend their facilities for the quarantine. They will allow us to use other buildings in the facility to accommodate the number of repatriates and have committed to augment the number of personnel who will support operations,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said in an earlier statement.
The DOH said that around 460 to 480 Filipinos aboard the cruise ship had requested assistance to return to the Philippines.
“We would like to assure Filipinos abroad that our government is working tirelessly to ensure that no Filipino gets left behind in our fight against COVID-19. DOH and the Philippine government are prepared to undertake all measures to care for our kababayans, no matter where they are,” Duque assured.
The repatriation of the Filipinos, however, had to be delayed pending the completion of the tests for the virus of the Filipino cruise ship crew members and passengers.
(with a report from Madeline Villar Moratillo, Eagle News Service)
