The estimated 42,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who are expected to return to the Philippines this month until June may overwhelm quarantine facilities in the country, according to Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr.
Migrant Filipinos coming home have to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine at government facilities.
As of this writing, more than 27,000 OFWs have yet to be tested or are still awaiting the results of their COVID-19 tests in quarantine facilities in Manila, reported GMA News.
Aside from hotels, the government has also converted some ships into temporary COVID-19 facilities.
Galvez, the chief implementer of the Philippines’ COVID-19 response, warned that if the government would not subject all OFW returnees, it may result in second wave of COVID-19 outbreak.
“Kung hindi po natin ni-PCR ito, itong 465 magiging parang second wave [ng cases] at kawawa po ‘yung ating local government units lalo na po ‘yung mga hindi at walang alam at saka walang PCR doon po sa area at saka walang facilities,” Galvez told the report.
Nearly two percent (465) of OFWs who underwent a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tested positive for COVID-19.
