Stranded Baguio Residents Start Returning

May 25, 2020 JUST IN

BAGUIO CITY (May 25, 2020) – The first batch of returning Baguio residents (RBRs) has started arriving Thursday last week as the city started to welcome back stranded workers, students and even local tourists from other parts of the country.
After nearly a week of processing their papers as clearance to get back to this mountain enclave, the 46 who had to get health clearances from their point of origin and travel pass were welcomed by the local police escorting them to the newly installed triage at the Saint Vincent Gym along Naguillan Road.
“It’s good to be back home after nearly one week of getting all my clearances,” said Ejay Zamora, who had been stuck in New Manila in Quezon City since the start of the enhanced community quarantine in March 17.
The city is expecting some 24,000 RBRs of which 100 could be accommodated daily, said Baguio executive officer IV Philip Puzon.
However, the first batch saw the arrival 46 residents that included Zamora, who applied online with the City Disaster Risk and Rescue Management Office that he be allowed to return home.
Puzon said that 3,160 of these RBRs had already applied but they had to undergo a set of strict health and safety rules that culminate with the triage requirements to ensure immediate detection and management of potential Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)-infected persons.
Puzon said that the returnees must apply online, acquire health certificate where it is indicated if he or she is possible, suspect or Covid positive and has undergone the required 14 day quarantine. 
 
The returnee must also secure a travel pass from the police and signed by the regional director of said locality.  The CDRRMC will then schedule the applicant could return who will undergo the required triage upon arrival and if cleared, his profile is sent to the person’s barangay where he resides.   
Before the door was opened for the RBRs, the city has set up a triage at the Saint Vincent gym along Naguilian Road  composed of 11 sub-triages delineated based on the medical conditions of the entrants.
Triages have also been set up at the checkpoints at the various entrances to the city and those now found at the various hospitals.
City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU) head Dr. Donnabel Panes said the city has adopted a two-triage system for RBRs.
Under the system, RBRs undergo initial triage at the checkpoints set up at the various entry points to the city and those with symptoms are escorted to the triages of hospitals of their choice while those without symptoms are directed to the Saint Vincent central triage.
“The police will determine if the RBR shows symptoms and will be escorted to Saint Vincent,” said Panes.
At the Saint Vincent triage, the RBRs are managed according to their requirements. Those who require health certificates to return to work are asked to undergo x-ray for a P180 fee and those with lung problems are tested for Covid.
Those who are not returning workers are managed based on decision matrices which include the status of their places of origin. If for instance they came from an area that is under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) status or with numerous cases, they will be required to undergo a 14-day home quarantine.
Despite their lack of medical personnel, Panes said that two City Health Office doctors are on duty every day to evaluate and check on RBRs.
Brillantes said a pilot district triage was also put up at the Lucban health district to cater to residents in said area.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong, meanwhile, asked that RBRs should be a little patient in getting their clearance to come home to the city.
“We want to bring home everybody, but we don’t want to burden health officials,” he said.

Artemio Dumlao