Baguio exodus start

STRANDED students and transient residents from other areas are starting to move out from the mountain city.

The city government has facilitated coordination with areas where students and transient residents are from, for a speedy return to their home towns.

The Province of La

Union through the Office of Governor Francisco Roberto Ortega III provided buses from the Don Mariano Marco Memorial State University to ferry stranded residents.

On Wednesday afternoon, the second batch of La Union residents were ferried home bringing the latest count to almost 100.

City hall records show there are 600 stranded residents from La Union who have registered to signify they want to return.

The exit of the La union residents was facilitated by the office of Councilor Francisco Roberto Ortega VI with the full support of the office of Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong.

Bigger problem awaits those wanting to return to Pangasinan with close to 3,000 stranded as the city is still trying to coordinate with the local government in the lowlands to facilitate the return of those stuck here.

Those stranded include students with dwindling allowances, workers who have lost jobs here in the city because of the lockdown as well as employees of the hotel and restaurant industry.

Residents from Isabela, Nueva Viscaya, Tarlac, and Manila also have individuals signifying their hope to return to their areas.

To date, Vice Governor Faustino Dee of Isabela has asked for an inventory of names and details of those stranded here in the city.

Magalong said coordination with governors in the Cordillera is ongoing on how to ferry those stranded in the city to their provinces taking into consideration time and resources.

The mayor said communication from the province of Kalinga resolved provisions will be sent to those stranded rather than facilitating travel from the city to avoid transmission of the Covid 19.

A help desk at the Baguio City Hall was set up for those stranded.