(Eagle News) – The New Clark City in Tarlac will be the new quarantine area for all repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), according to the Department of Health in a press briefing on Thursday, Feb. 6.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque bared this as he detailed what will happen from the time of the boarding of the chartered plane by OFWs from China to the time that they arrive here at the Clark International Airport.
He also detailed the quarantine process that will happen to the repatriated OFWs, saying that the Bureau of Quarantine will immediately check all the passengers upon arrival in Clark.
Those who will have symptoms like colds, cough and fever will be immediately brought to a ready hospital where they will be admitted as persons under investigation for the 2019 novel coronavirus (nCoV-2019)
The asymptomatic OFWs, meaning those who have no signs of illness, will be transported to the quarantine facility at the New Clark City which housed the Southeast Asian Games (SEAGames) athletes last year.
“During the quarantine period, one room will be allotted per person to ensure the patient’s safety and convenience,” Duque said.
“A room can also accommodate a family of four,” he said.
Duque also said that the rooms at the New Clark City were “very nice” equipped with television sets, refrigerators and air-conditioning units.
We believe nothing less should be provided to our kababayans,” he said while stressing that President Rodrigo Duterte and the DOH want the comfort and welfare of the repatriated OFWs throughout the quarantine process.
Duque said that the DOH will be providing all the hygine kits, disinfectant solutions, transportation and other things needed in the quarantine process.
The OFWs’ movement will be limited within the quarantine facility at the New Clark City.
They will be given packed lunch every day, and medical personnel of the DOH will be regularly making rounds to check on them.
The Building A of the New Clark City will accommodate the OFWs during the 14-day quarantine period, while the Building B will house the medical personnel, people helping prepare the food, and other personnel who will be there to help the OFWs from China during the quarantine process.
There will even be a swimming pool for their use inside the New Clark City, said Duque.
“Upon completion of the 14-day quarantine period, the discharge of all repatriated OFWs shall be facilitated by the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA) in coordination with the Department of Health and the Department of Foreign Affairs.
“Rest assured that all our kababayans will be treated with the utmost care and dignity as they go through the whole process of repatriation.
DFA Undersecretary Brigido Dulay said that 45 OFWs from China have already signified their intention to be repatriated.
He said that a team of DFA officers are already in Wuhan City itself, the virus epicenter, to facilitate the repatriation process.
Dulay said that OFWs will also be screened by Chinese authorities before boarding the plane. Those who will have fever will be treated in a Chinese medical facility and won’t be allowed to board the plane, he said.
