Antique Gov. Rhodora Cadiao said her province had purchased P15 million worth of rapid test kits to screen returning residents, following the relaxation of quarantine measures.
Cadiao said the kits would be used to test some 1,500 migrant sugar workers or sacadas stranded for more than a month on Negros island, as well as overseas Filipino workers, seafarers, and residents who want to return home from Manila or Iloilo.
“Patakaran po namin niyan sa General Community Quarantine, lahat po ay dadaan sa rapid testing; ia-isolate sila maski na negative or positive; at bago sila bumalik sa kanilang mga bahay, ira-rapid testing ulit sila kung negative sila,” she said during the #LagingHandaPH public briefing on Saturday.
Only Metro Manila and seven other areas remain under the stricter enhanced community quarantine, which will last until May 15.
The rest of the country was placed under general community quarantine from May 1 to May 15. It will be removed thereafter for “low-risk” areas and may be extended for “moderate-risk” areas.
“Nasa ICU (intensive care unit) na rin iyong mga maliliit na mga negosyante dito e. Tulad ng mga ibang—simple lang ang Antique, mahirap lang kaming probinsiya at gusto naming ibalik iyong konting pagkikitaan ng aming mga kababayan,” Cadiao said.
Cadiao said the province had bought P3 million worth of produce from farmers for distribution to village-based sellers.
“We are making sure that our small people, the small and medium enterprise na mga negosyo, mga maliliit naming trabahador ay makapagbalik na po sa kani-kanilang buhay at makapag-umpisa na tayo sa tinatawag namin na ‘new normal,'” she said. (PressONE.ph)