Philippine Navy ship brings home 450 stranded travelers to Cebu, Iloilo

The strategic sealift ship BRP Davao Del Sur (LD-602) of the Philippine Navy would bring home 450 locally stranded individuals (LSIs) to the Visayas today, June 22.

Philippine Navy (PN) public affairs office chief Lt. Commander Maria Christina Roxas said Sunday that the LSIS would be transported to Iloilo and Cebu ports after the ship leaves from Pier 13, Manila South Harbor.

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BRP Davao Del Sur LD 602
The BRP Davao Del Sur (LD-602) (Image from YouTube)
“Prior to boarding LD-602, these LSIs underwent strict medical screening and Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) rapid testing on June 21 in Pasay City, in coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines Health Service Command (AFPHSC) and assisted by the Chief Surgeon Navy personnel,” Roxas said.
PN flag-officer-in-command Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo meanwhile said the latest BRP Davao Del Sur mission is considered to “have the biggest number of LSIs transported in a single voyage by a Navy vessel so far.”
The BRP Davao Del Sur and the BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS-16) arrived in the country on June 12 after a five-month deployment in the Middle East.
“Your Philippine Navy will continue to exert tremendous efforts in providing support to our fellow Filipinos who are at most risk of the challenges brought by this pandemic,” Bacordo said.
Aside from the 450 LSIs, the BRP Davao Del Sur also carries transport 2,508 boxes of personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies for the frontliners in the Visayas Region. The items would be delivered to the Office of Civil Defense hub in Cebu.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) used six of its vehicles to transport the already processed LSIs from Villamor Golf Club in Pasay City to South Harbor, Manila.
Captain Homer Gonzales, BRP Davao Del Sur commanding officer, assured Philippine Navy ship LD-602 is ready to travel, and the passengers would be safe as long as they follow protocols of the vessel.
“It will be a 30-hour journey for our LSIs. We will ensure that it will be a safe and convenient travel for them,” he added.
Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. reported earlier that the recent number of COVID-19 cases in Region 8 and Lanao are from locally stranded individuals. He said 66 new cases in Region 8 were LSIs.
Malacañang also said that the transportation of locally stranded individuals from Metro Manila to the provinces is unexpected and that the government was not able to prepare for it.