Some 114 locally stranded individuals (LSIs) from Manila are expected to be flown to the Bohol Panglao International Airport (BPIA) in Panglao town on Friday.
According to Dr. Yul Lopez, the Capitol’s spokesperson on coronavirus disease (COVID) 19-related matters, the LSIs will be flown by an AirAsia aircraft from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City to the BPIA.
The group will be the largest single batch of LSIs so far and the first to travel directly from Manila.
Lopez said that the LSIs were able to secure travel authority from the National Capital Region Regional Police Office (NCRPO) through the assistance of League of Municipalities of the Philippines – Bohol president Miriam Sumaylo of Dauis.
“Atong gipasalamatan si og maayo si Mayor Miriam Sumaylo. Siya ang mitabang sap ag-facilitate sa pagkuha og travel authority for those in Metro Manila,” Lopez said.
The same assistance from Sumaylo will be extended to other LSIs in Metro Manila, he added.
The national government’s Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has ordered that only regional police offices such as the NCRPO in Metro Manila and Police Regional Office 7 in Central Visayas will be allowed to issue travel authorization to LSIs.
According to Lopez, LSIs in Metro Manila should continue to communicate with their hometown’s respective focal persons to direct them on how to secure requirements for their travel to Bohol.
The deluge of LSIs and repatriated overseas Filipino workers in Bohol started this week through the orders of the national government as part of efforts to decongest Metro Manila and other urban centers such as Cebu City which are the virus’ hardest hit areas.
On Wednesday, 96 LSIs from Cebu were ferried to the Tagbilaran City port.
They were picked up by their respective local government units and transported to their quarantine facilities in their localities. (A. Doydora)