Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello advised overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) based in the United Kingdom to refrain from traveling back to the Philippines amid the new coronavirus strain discovered there.
“Uuwi dito, magbabakasyon. Maka-quarantine ng 14 days. Sayang ‘yung panahon eh. Eh di hintayin na lang nila na gaganda ang panahon,” Bello said in an interview with GMA News.
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Bello said that OFWs are still allowed to enter the country but if their time to spend with loved ones will be limited, he suggested that it will be better to postpone their trips first.
“Eh ‘yun ay payo lang naman. Kung gusto nilang umuwi, eh di OK lang. Kaya lang dadaan lang ng 14-day quarantine,” he said.
Bello made the suggestion to President Rodrigo Duterte over the weekend to ban OFWs from traveling from UK to the country amid the new coronavirus variant.
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The President however said that OFWs should be given the option to go home no matter what.
“Sabi ko may total restrictions sa mga galing ng UK except ‘yung mga Filipinos na uuwi. OK lang naman pero ang problema, kung OFW, uuwi dito, magbabakasyon, maka-quarantine ng 14 days. Eh ganun kamahal ng Pangulo ang mga OFW. Sabi niya, hindi, pauwiin mo,” Bello said.
The government has imposed a temporary ban on all flights coming from the United Kingdom. (TDT)
