Over 1,600 stranded individuals in Cordillera sent home – DILG

MANILA, Philippines – A total of 1,633 out of the 2,493 enlisted locally stranded individuals in the Cordillera Administrative Region were sent home as of Friday, June 12, according the Department of the Interior and Local Government Cordillera regional office (DILG-CAR).

Of the 860 stranded individuals left, 473 are currently processing their requirements such as medical certificates and travel authority, while the remaining 387 are still undergoing confirmation if they still wished to travel back home, DILG-CAR said.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Cordillera also reported that 710 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were assisted in the region from May 1 to June 9, following DILG’s memorandum that orders local government units (LGUs) to put up help desks to aid stranded individuals and OFWs.

The stranded individuals and OFWs were assisted through coordination with concerned agencies and LGUs, said DILG Cordillera director Marlo Iringan, who is also the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force chairperson, during a joint virtual meeting with the members of the Cordillera Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Among the challenges the DILG-CAR has faced in assisting stranded individuals were limited resources such as vehicles and limited time for coordination with concerned offices and LGUs, the agency said.

A total of 24,787 confirmed cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the Philippines as of June 12. Of this, 1,052 died while 5,454 recovered. – Pauline Macaraeg/Rappler.com