Cotabato prov’l government helps stranded ‘kababayans’

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Cotabato Province, Apr. 30 (PIA)--- The provincial government here is doubling efforts to address the issue on residents of the province who are stranded in other places due to the implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine.

During the COVID-19 Provincial Inter-agency Task Force Meeting held on Tuesday, Governor Nancy A. Catamco approved the proposal to create the Task Force Sagip Stranded North Cotabateños.

Catamco said that with this move, the task force will ensure that proper measures will be observed to further prevent entry of the coronavirus disease 2019 to the province.

For stranded residents, an official Facebook page, Task Force Sagip Stranded North Cotabateños, was created to cater to their information needs. Also, hotline numbers were provided as follows:

0951 826 6358 for 1st district; 0951 826 6356 for 2nd district; and 0961 578 3048 for the 3rd district.

Stranded residents who want to avail of the assistance from the provincial government are also required to fill out an online form at https://bit.ly/2WahsF0.

COVID-19 Provincial Inter-agency Task Force head Philbert Malaluan said the newly created task force is headed by Governor Catamco and is co-chaired by the congressmen in the three districts who are tasked to coordinate with concerned agencies to carry out the initiative.

Specifically, the task force aims to help stranded individuals like returning or about to be deployed Overseas Filipino Workers and seafarers, students and trainees or reviewees, stranded residents particularly in Davao City, and workers who were laid off from work or have their flight cancelled.

Meanwhile, Malaluan clarified that these stranded residents will not be quarantined at the borders of the province particularly in Makilala town.

“Upon arrival, the municipal or city health officer will assess if the stranded residents will undergo 14-day quarantine in the isolation facility of their respective towns or will have home quarantine,” he noted adding that only those who have not registered online and attempt to enter the province will undergo border quarantine.

Malaluan also stated that stranded individuals should bring with them their identification cards and health clearance from the provincial/city/municipal or barangay health office noting that they have underwent 14-day quarantine and have not shown any symptom of COVID-19.

For more details, the stranded residents may call the given hotline numbers.

As of the latest count this morning, the provincial government recorded over 1,5000 stranded Cotabateños in some parts of the country who registered online for the assistance. (PIA Cotabato City

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