The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said it will look into the incident involving two of its officials who allegedly violated the ban on mass gatherings in a resort in Batangas.
OWWA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said he will ask Deputy Administrators Mocha Uson and Faustino Sabares III to explain their side on the matter.
“So again this is a matter that was well-intentioned. It has achieved its purpose in terms of communicating the message of reminding them about the mandatory quarantine. So, we will just have to look into this matter after the lockdown,” he said in a telephone interview.
In the meantime, Cacdac said the agency will proceed with efforts to monitor OFWs in quarantine facilities and help those who are returning and needing mandatory quarantine facilities.
The incident involved the supposed gathering of people in a resort in Talisay, Batangas where some overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are under quarantine.
He added that it was him who asked both Uson and Sabares to check on the Filipinos reportedly seen swimming in the beach while the enhanced community quarantine is in effect.
“Of course, we will ask Deputy Administrator (Uson) to explain her side. But already I can clarify (that case). This is the barangay (which was) sensitive to the fact (that there are) OFWs who are in quarantine in one of the hotel facilities there. So, (what happened was) there was news in the community, in the barangay (that there were) OFWs who were swimming in the beach facility,” he said.
He said that based on the picture, the social distancing was observed.
“It is not a gathering where people were close together and could contaminate themselves. It lasted for about 15 minutes. And the people were reminded about the mandatory quarantine that they were going through and to observe the sensibilities of the community,” he added. (PNA)