Duterte orders DOLE, DOH to expedite release of 25,000 OFWs

President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Department of Health (DOH) to speed up the release of about 25,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who are still in quarantine facilities almost two months after they tested negative for COVID-19.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte gave the DOLE, DOH and the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA) one week to carry out the smooth release of the OFWs.

“Sinabi po ng ating Presidente ngayong umaga na pwede nilang gamitin ang lahat ng resources ng gobyerno at gamitin nila ang lahat ng pamamaraan ng transportasyon, mapa-bus, mapa-eroplano, mapa-barko, para makauwi na itong mga OFWs natin (The president said they can use all government resources and all transportation modes, whether bus, plane or ship, to bring our OFWs home),” Roque said.

Roque added that Duterte is unable to stomach what the OFWs are going through in the hands of the concerned government agencies. 

“Sang-ayon ang Presidente na kinakailangang lahat ng ating mga manggagawa ay sumailalim sa COVID-19 tests, pero ang sabi niya, hindi katanggap-tanggap na napakatagal ng proseso bago sila makauwi (The president agrees that all workers should undergo COVID-19 tests, but cannot accept how slow the process is),” he said.

Around 7,000 Filipino crew members remain stranded in foreign cruise ships docked at the Manila Bay anchorage area. Another 17,000 OFWs are stuck at their quarantine facilities in Metro Manila.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), which manages the quarantine facilities said it is having difficulties releasing the OFWs. It blamed the difficulties on the slow response of manpower agencies that are supposed to provide the OFWs’ transportation going home.