The government is set to send home an additional 9,000 locally stranded individuals (LSIs) during the weekend under its Hatid Tulong Program (HTP).
During an online briefing on Thursday, Presidential Management Staff (PMS) assistant secretary Joseph Encabo said the first batch of LSIs, which include those bound for Mindanao, will be sent home on Saturday.
LSIs from the Visayas and northern Luzon will be sent home on Sunday.
Encabo said the mass send-off will be followed by cluster send-offs for LSIs bound to Palawan and Batanes.
The lead convener of HTP said all of the LSIs will be required to undergo rapid testing before they are sent to their hometowns to ensure they are free from novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
“That was the wish of LGUs [local government units] before they accept [the LSIs]. Upon their arrival [in their destination], they undergo observation and the 14-day quarantine. After that they must go through a swab test to be conducted by their region or province,” Encabo explained.
The last mass send-off under HTP was held on July 4 and 5.
Encabo said they already sent home at least 123,000 LSIs since the onset of the Covid-19 crisis in March.
Image credits: Roy Domingo