35 stranded CTCSM students return home

... after 14-day quarantine

Davao de Oro-- After 14-day quarantine, 35 stranded students of Community Technical College of Southern Mindanao (CTCSM) in Maco, Davao de Oro finally returned to their respective hometowns and reunited with their families.

It can be recalled that the students were stuck for nearly two months within the campus while the province was placed under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to contain the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

The Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force (PIATF) of Davao de Oro facilitated the fetching of the students last May 16, 2020.

Upon fetching, they immediately underwent health screening using the rapid diagnostic test to further check if the students were not manifesting flu-like symptoms linked to Covid-19. After being tested, they were referred to the BFP Building in the Provincial Capitol Complex for their 14-day quarantine commenced.

The students were given psychosocial activities from the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) as a means not just to combat boredom and remedy for their homesickness but also enhancement for personality development, overall behavior and attitude in life.

Part also of their daily schedule which they helped plan and organized included “getting to know” activities, physical exercises, and film viewing. The students were also given spiritual session through the Provincial Spiritual Development and Values Restoration program (PSDVRP) to hear and pray for guidance and protection from the crisis.

The Provincial Health Office conducted daily medical check-up to monitor their health status. Safety measures were also observed by the team in providing their service. Meal plan including nutritious foods were also served by the Kusina ng Kalinga program to ensure that the basic needs of the stranded students under quarantine will be provided.

“Mapasalamaton mi sa lokal nga panggamhanan sa Davao de Oro sa panguna ni Governor Jayvee Tyron L. Uy inubanan sa DepEd, PHO, PSWDO ug uban pa kabahin sa pagtabang arun maka uli mi sa tagsa-tagsa namu ka pamilya”, their team leader said.

Prior to boarding, goods as well as school bags, grocery items, financial assistance, and medical certificates were given to each student as proof that they are tested negative from the virus after being quarantined.

“Daghang salamat sa inyung dakong kooperasyon sa mga aktibidadis nga gihatag sa inyuha sulod sa 14-day quarantine dinhi sa atuang probinsya nga part usab sa atuang health protocol batok sa COVID-19. Hinaot nga sa inyuhang pag-uli sa tagsa-tagsa ka mga panimalay malipayon mo nga makauban ang inyuhang pamilya”, Governor Jayvee Tyron L. Uy said as he personally bid goodbye to the students. (Rheafe Hortizano, PAO-ID Davao de Oro)

Database for stranded persons launched

RALPH LAWRENCE G. LLEMIT, SUNSTAR Davao

THE Davao City Government, on Monday, April 27, opened a database center for individuals stranded within and outside the city.

The City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO) launched the Davao City Stranded Persons Database Center (DCSPDC) wherein stranded individuals must report to the center their situation by providing the following details through the center's provided text hotline and e-mail address posted on the City Government of Davao and CTOO Facebook page.


For residents stranded outside Davao City, they must provide the following: their name, date of birth, mobile number, address in Davao, address currently in, the starting date in the city he or she got stranded, purpose of travel, and persons travelling with and its relationship.

While for persons stranded in Davao, they must submit their name, date of birth, mobile number, address in Davao, the starting date when he or she got stranded in Davao City, home address, city/municipality/province where he or she originates, purpose of travel in Davao City, and persons travelling with and their relationship.


CTOO, in an online post, said DCSPDC will respond to their text or email for additional information.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio announced the creation of the center on Saturday, April 25, after receiving various complaints from individuals, especially Dabawenyos stranded outside.

As of now, those stranded outside Davao Region still cannot enter following the extension of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), as recommended by the Interagency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

Duterte-Carpio also emphasized that according to the IATF-EID, air travel ban inside the region is still prohibited as airport operation is still limited to cargo transport.

Opening the center, the mayor said, is the only help the City Government can do to help those stranded passengers.

The mayor also emphasized the need to collate data from those who were stranded outside the region, in order for the city to prepare their isolation facilities.

She said they would be immediately required to go under 14-day quarantine in case the regional lockdown will be lifted.

However, in Davao City, the city needs to capacitate its isolation facility to more than 1,000 beds.

As of now, she said the city has a current total of 415 bed to its 11 isolation facilities.

"Kung magpasulod daw ta og, let's say, 500 ka tao ang atong 415 ka beds is not enough to accommodate new wave of infection sa mga musulod (Our current 415 bed capacities is not enough to accommodate new wave of infection if we would allow entry of 500 people outside the region)," Duterte-Carpio said in a radio interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.

But she said those who wanted to leave the city can still go out, provided that the city or town they go home to can cater to them.

The mayor, meanwhile, received reports that certain local government units are working on to usher back home their stranded residents inside Davao City. These are Davao Oriental and a certain province of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.