The Bureau of Quarantine is now appealing for additional manpower following the government’s decision to lift the travel ban on 10 countries starting today, September 6.
President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the IATF recommendation to lift the ban on India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
“Ang initial request po namin is 359 personnel since December po. Ang kailangan po namin is at least 200 pong personnel,” BOQ Director Roberto Salvador Jr.
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Salvador said that they only have five to 10 personnel taking care of 100 to 150 patients in each of its 15 quarantine hotels.
Salvador also hopes that the funds to augment their manpower will be released soon.
“Na-consider na po tayo. So anytime po siguro mabibigay na po yung budget na allotted po ng DOH po sa atin,” he said.
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The BOQ official said that the additional manpower will not only be assigned to the quarantine hotels but also will be deployed on the processing of yellow cards.
“Ang Bureau of Quarantine po, hindi lang po pagbabantay ng hotel galing sa restricted country yung function namin. Kami din po yung mga nag-aalaga ng mga OFW na nagpa-positive sa mga hotel positive facility po natin. Ngayon po, yung increase ng demand ng yellow card, kailangan po namin ng additional people para po ma-operate namin yung satellite station,” Salvador added. (TDT)
