80 buses of LSIs arrive in Matnog

LEGAZPI CITY --- Some 2,000 persons from Mindanao who were marooned in Metro Manila due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic have arrived at the Matnog Port in Sorsogon aboard 80 passenger buses on Sunday, July 5.

The Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in Bicol said the 80 Partas buses loaded with thousands of locally stranded individuals (LSIs) have boarded the Roll-on-Roll-off or RoRo vessels to bring them to Allen, Samar and then proceeded to Lipata Port in Surigao City.

From Lipata Port, the convoy of buses boarded another RoRo vessel that ferried 300 LSIs in 15 buses to a port in Cagayan De Oro City, 1,100 LSIs in 40 buses to a port in Davao City, and 600 LSIs in 25 buses to a port in General Santos City.

The Mindanao LSIs left Manila on Saturday (July 4) night and arrived at Matnog Port Sunday afternoon.

Marlon Loterte, PIA Bicol acting regional director, said the sending home of thousands of Mindanao LSIs is under the “Hatid-Tulong” initiative, formerly “Hatid Probinsiya” program, a joint undertaking of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Presidential Management Staff (PMS), the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP), and the national government.

HATID TULONG. Partas buses with thousands of locally stranded individuals (LSIs) arrive at the Matnog port in Sorsogon on Sunday, July 5, 2020. (Photo courtesy of Nonie Enolva)