Residents of Capas Tarlac expressed their opposition against the plan of the national government to make the Athlete’s Village in New Clark City as a quarantine area for the Overseas Filipino Workers coming from China.
On Saturday, residents of Capas used their placards to address the national government about their concerns.
“Ang Barangay O’Donnell ay tutol na gamitin bilang quarantine station and new Clark City, Capas Tarlac #SAVECAPAS,” the placard reads.
There also some tarpaulin placed in the main road of Capas to express their opposition against the plan.
According to them, they fear that the 2019 novel coronavirus may leak out to the Athletes Village and spread to the communities in Capas, Tarlac.
Meanwhile, Capas LGU already agreed to the national government’s plan but they set a few conditions.
In an interview, Capas Vice Mayor Butch Rodriguez, the residents are not aware of the real nature of the virus, saying that they didn’t know that nCoV is not airborne and cannot spread easily.
“Probably due to lack of information and dissemination, it’s a common fear that they might get infected, they think that its airborne and they’re very near the athlete’s village the fear of getting infected is always present,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said that they had a meeting with the officials of the Department of Health (DOH) and they informed them that there will be a total lockdown in the quarantine area.
Only the medical team is allowed to go in and out of the Athlete’s Village.
The OFWs from Wuhan, China are expected to arrive in the Philippines in the upcoming days as they’re now being rescued by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Wuhan is considered the epicenter of the virus which already infected 35,000 people around the world.