DILG working on mass testing for LSIs

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is still ironing out new protocols for the testing of locally stranded individuals (LSIs).

Authorities have admitted that the return of LSIs and overseas Filipino workers led to the spike in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in some provinces, especially in the Visayas.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año over the weekend said they are establishing new protocols as the government wants LSIs to be tested once they get to their destination, instead of being tested in Metro Manila.

They are also coordinating with local government units (LGUs) for COVID-19 testing to ensure that the new protocols will be properly implemented.

“The new protocol is better because LGUs will no longer doubt if LSIs arrive in their provinces not infected with COVID or were infected along the way and arrived in an LGU already positive,” Año said in

Filipinio in an interview on Teleradyo.

He said he is confident that the country has the capability to test returning LSIs as overall testing capacity has been increased.

“Under the new scheme, LSIs will be tested when they reach their destination. A PCR swab test will be conducted and they will be quarantined if they tested positive. If they tested negative, they will be sent home and undergo home quarantine,” he said.

Año asked the public not to hide from authorities those who are already showing symptoms of COVID or those who may be carriers of the virus.

The government has conceded to the proposal of some local executives to suspend the return of LSIs to their jurisdictions as they say that limited quarantine and healthcare facilities are already under strain due to the rising COVID positive cases.

The moratorium on local repatriation is currently imposed on Central Visayas and some provinces in Western Visayas.