Pampanga expressed their willingness to take care of the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) from Wuhan, China, who are set to put in quarantine once they enter the Philippine territory.
After being opposed by several provinces like Cavite, Nueva Ecija, and Tarlac, Governor Dennis Pineda of Pampanga said that they have the capacity to quarantine the OFWs from Hubei Province in China in case that more places are going to reject them.
“If walang gustong tumanggap sa inyo, nandito ang Pampanga para po sa inyo,” Pineda said during seminar against 2019 novel coronavirus (nCoV).
“We’re open na tulungan sila. We’ll provide the facilities, right personnel to handle them with proper coordination with DOH, Bureau of Quarantine, Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital, and the provincial government,” the governor added.
Pineda made the statement after Capas Tarlac Mayor Reynaldo Catacutan opposed the plan of the government to bring all the rescued OFWs from China to New Clark City.
“We acknowledge that the Bases Conversion and Development Authority has full jurisdiction over NCC, but I, as the Mayor of Capas, appeal in behalf of all Capaseños to our dear President Rodrigo Duterte and DOH Secretary Francisco Duque to consider another place or facility as isolation area,” he said.
Catacutan said that they’re not informed about the plan of the government.
“I feel perturbed by the fact that the Department of Health (DOH) did not at all, in any way, involve the Capas LGU in its last-minute decision for New Clark City Capas to be used as a quarantine zone for these Persons under Monitoring,” he stated.
According to DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III, they chose the New Clark City as the quarantine area because of its facilities and location.
“We plan to bring back our fellow Filipinos here in the country as seamlessly and efficiently as possible. Procedures were set into place from the moment our OFW kababayans board the plane up until their arrival,” he said.
The OFWs are required to be isolated for 14 days.