The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has stopped the travel of Locally Stranded Individuals (LSIs) starting today, June 26 until July 9, 2020 based on a joint resolution submitted by the Regional Inter Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (RIATF-MEID) and the Regional Task Force for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (RTF COVID 19) to give time for local government units to vacate and disinfect quarantine facilities for returning residents.

According to DILG – 8 Regional Director Karl Caesar R. Rimando, this came about after DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año and Task Force COVID-19 Chief Implementer Carlito G. Galvez Jr. attended the Joint Meeting last June 24, 2020 in Palo, Leyte to investigate the sudden spike of the number of confirmed positive patients.

During the meeting, Provincial Governors and the invited mayors voiced their appeal for a moratorium, citing that their facilities have been “overwhelmed” with quarantined returning residents.

The DILG Secretary was supportive of the sentiments of the top officials in Eastern Visayas, and congratulated the regional and local officials for properly managing COVID cases. They likewise turned over 4,000 PPEs and 8,000 N95 masks for distribution to health workers and front liners in the region. ###

Approved:

KARL CAESAR R. RIMANDO, CESO IV

Regional Director