Catanduanes bars LSIs, ROFs inbound travel

LEGAZPI CITY --- The Bicol Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (BIATF) gave the green light to suspend inbound travel of returning residents in Catanduanes due to lack of resources and quarantine facilities destroyed by Typhoon Rolly.

Catanduanes Gov. Joseph Cua requested the BIATF to “halt in the repatriation of Locally Stranded Individuals )LSIs) and returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs), following the aftermath of the devastation brought by Typhoon Rolly on the island province.

Cua in his letter said that their resources were being depleted by the continued need for relief goods since Typhoon “Quinta” and their quarantine facilities have been destroyed by Typhoon “Rolly.”

Lawyer Anthony Nuyda, Bicol regional director of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and BIATF chair, said in a Task Force special meeting on Friday (Nov. 6) that IATF has passed Resolution No. 2020-24 approving the request to suspend all inbound travel of LSIs and ROFs for one month beginning Nov. 7, subject to weekly assessment by the BIATF.

While Bicol provinces are still trying to recover from the devastation wrought by Typhoon “Rolly” particularly in the provinces of Catanduanes, Albay, and Camarines Sur, disaster authorities here are bracing for Typhoon Ulysses (VAMCO) which according to the state weather bureau has intensified and had been categorized as a Severe Tropical Storm.

PAGASA as of 4:00 AM on Wednesday, Nov. 11, has hoisted typhoon signal No. 2 over Bicol.

OCD reported that as of 8:00 PM on Nov. 10, there were 19,553 families or 79,370 people living in low lying areas that were moved to safer grounds in the region.

Gremil Alexis Naz, OCD spokesperson, said the initial evacuation was reported in Camarines Sur with 17,318 families or 71,576 people; Albay – 1,151 families or 4,000 people; Catanduanes-1,084 families or 3,794 people.