"Deep in our hearts, we knew that this day will come when we have to welcome home our OFWs and, later on, all Bol-anons who want to come home....True Love is shown in times of suffering and danger. This is the time to show true love. Let us prepare to follow the protocols..."---Gov. Art Yap (HERE IS THE FULL TEXT OF HIS MESSAGE AT THE CAPITOL PRESSCON THIS AFTERNOON) :
***
On the morning of April 25, 2020, I received copies of Authorities to Travel issued by Sec. Carlito Galvez for returning OFWs. In the Authority dated April 24, 2020, it was stated that the same was being issued to: “...authorize the travel of the following seafarers from Manila to return to their respective province/residence provided that they have completed the 14-day quarantine and shall present medical certification upon exit from Manila.” Furthermore, it was stated that: “This Authority is being issued for purposes of allowing their unimpeded entry and exit to places as an exemption from the provisions of an enhanced community quarantine.” In the list was included the names of 262 returning Bol-anons.
There are also 81 OFW Bol-anons in Cebu today, being medically processed to allow them to come home to Bohol when their results come out and register that they are not Covid positive.
Upon receiving the Authorities to Travel, I tried to call Sec. Carlito Galvez, the Chief Implementor of the Covid 19 Task Force, and failing which, wrote him a letter in the afternoon. We were able to talk early evening of the same day where I strongly registered my objections on the manner and lack of coordination that the repatriation of our Bol-anons OFWs was being undertaken.
Sec. Galvez promised to look into the coordination aspect but made it very clear to me, that under these times of the national health emergency, Manila was under extreme pressure to start sending people home so they can better cope with the local infections in the NCR. Sec Galvez and I had a long and honest discussion on what was happening in the Capital, and the challenges confronting them. He revealed that as of today, there were about 3,000-5,000 OFWs returning to the Philippines everyday and presently;y, they had more than 70,000 OFWs, already stranded in Manila. Many of them are undergoing DOH supervised quarantines and soon, many will already be released from their Quarantine and must go home to their provinces.
At the end of our conversation, I must say that I fully understood the grave difficulties in the NCR. I was very humbled and embarrassed to be thinking only about Bohol when our nation and our capital city is gravely suffering. I made a commitment that Bohol will do its part not only to protect Bohol from the Covid 19, but to do what we can to help in the national effort to defeat Covid 19 in the Philippines. If that meant bringing home our OFWs, that is a very small price to pay as long they follow the proper protocols.
Deep in our hearts, we knew that this day will come when we have to welcome home our OFWs and later on, all Bol-anons who want to come home. This is the reason why two weeks ago, I already prepared OPLAN Exodus for the consideration of all. Our returning OFWs are modern day heroes who sacrificed so much and face many dangers, just so that they can send money home to their families, which benefit not only them, but our economy as well.
Other Bol-anons, have an equal right to come home. But the right is not absolute. The right must be balanced and regulated for the greater benefit of the greatest number. Public health of the general population in the face of an international pandemic is one of those instances when the right to travel and the right to abode can be regulated.
We welcome all Bol-anons to come home to Bohol subject to four (4) important requirements: 1) valid DOH Health Certificate that they have completed a 14 day quarantine, 2) that they have tested negative to the Covid Virus through a Rapid Test, or better yet, if possible, a PCR test. 3) Upon arriving in Bohol, they will further be subjected to another 14 day quarantine in a centralized quarantine facility and 4) undergo other medical tests that may be prescribed by our doctors.
In the coming days, we must take stock of our carrying capacity to accept returning OFWs, and later on, other Bol-anons who wish to come home. While we want to welcome them home, it will depend on our ability to stay within the resources of our healthcare providers. A sudden surge of infections may drown our healthcare system for which reason, we must calibrate all arrivals and continue our aggressive prevention measures.
My fellow Bol-anons, I understand your fears. They are my fears as well. To get sick with a disease, with no cure, could mean death for us. But let us not take that fear out on our poor fellow brothers and sisters who want to come home. If we are truly serious about preventing Covid 19 from coming home, take it out against those who are violating the liquor ban, take it out against those who are not wearing face masks. Take it out against those who are insisting on celebrating fiestas and violating social distancing. Take it out against those who are illegally coming into Bohol.
For our returning brothers and sisters, you must also understand the fear of many in Bohol. If you do not follow strictly our protocols, you may come home to infect your loved ones and along the way, start a pandemic in Bohol. You may end up killing those in life you love. You cannot demand any of your rights, when we are also protecting the lives of people in Bohol.
We are all afraid to die. But a life lived in selfishness and fear, is not living anyway. If we live in selfishness and fear, it is as if we have died already. True Love is not shown in times of happiness and plenty. True Love is shown in times of suffering and danger. This is the time to show true love now. Let us prepare to follow the protocols and slowly bring home our OFWs, and then other Bol-anons who wish to come home.
We are one family, we are one people, we are one nation.
*WORK from HOME and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at
www.dreamhost.comSitemap:
https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?action=sitemapRSS Feeds:
https://feeds.feedburner.com/tubagboholTweets:
https://twitter.com/tubagboholcomLinkback:
https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=102679.0
