interview and posting in social media is not allowed. Electronic gadgets and cellphones of those who violate this will be confiscated and will be returned after the quarantine period.”22 13. While the government continues to exert its efforts to further improve the conditions in quarantine facilities, challenges remain as high numbers of arrivals of repatriated OFWs continue, with reports of limited capacities in hotels and establishments operated as quarantine areas.23 14. Coordination between the national government and local government units (LGUs) have been rife with problems as well. OWWA, for instance, failed to coordinate with some LGUs when they transported OFWs from Manila to the latter’s respective provinces.24 OWWA was also heavily criticized after some of the OFWs it helped repatriate reportedly tested positive for COVID-19. The agency was also chided for informing local authorities about the arrival of OFWs in the last minute, giving them scant opportunity to prepare,25 and for failing to adhere to IATF protocols.26 15. Other government issuances relative to emergency repatriation and accommodation are: a. DOLE Department Order (D.O.) No. 211 Series of 202027 - Prescribing guidelines governing the provisions of hotel accommodation for distressed landbased and seabased Filipino workers during the period of enhanced community quarantine or the OWWA Project Care b. Department of Tourism, AO No. 2020-001-B - Amended Implementing Rules and Regulations governing the operation of Hotels and Other Accommodation Establishments during the period of ECQ28 c. Inter Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) Resolution No. 1429 16. On financial assistance, the Philippine government, through the DOLE, issued the following guidelines: a. DOLE Department Order (D.O.) No. 210, Series of 202030 - Guidelines for the implementation of the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Displaced / Disadvantaged Workers Program (TUPAD) #Barangay ko, Bahay ko (TUPAD #BKBK) disinfecting / sanitation project b. DOLE Department Order (D.O.) No. 212 Series of 202031 - Prescribing guidelines on the provision of financial assistance for displaced landbased and seabased Filipino workers due to the Coronavirus (COVID-2019) “DOLE-AKAP for OFWs” 17. Through the DOLE - Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong (DOLE-AKAP) initiative, the Philippine government extended financial assistance in the amount of US$200 or P10,000 each to displaced regular and documented OFWs, some undocumented OFWs, and OFWs who could not return to their receiving countries because of the lockdown.32 As of March 2021, about 450,000 displaced OFWs have been given P10,000 cash aid each under the DOLE-AKAP program.33 However, at US$200 per worker, this aid has proven to be insufficient in the long term considering that the lockdown has spanned for months. 18. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has urged displaced OFWs to avail of their entrepreneurship and/or loan programs and start their own businesses, through DTI-attached agency Small Business Corporation (SB Corp).34 ABS-CBN News, “OFW complains of filthy, unhygienic conditions at quarantine hotel,” 14 April 2020 available at https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/14/20/ofwcomplains-of-filthy-unhygienic-conditions-at-quarantine-hotel (Last accessed: 01 February 2021) 23 Sophie Henderson, “Returning ‘heroes’: Filipino migrant workers met with a devastated economy,” 05 January 2021 https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/pandemicborder/returning-heroes-filipino-migrant-workers-met-with-a-devastated-economy/ (Last accessed: 01 February 2021); Ariel Fernandez, “NAIA’s Task Force facing challenges in accommodating returning Pinoys,” Manila Bulletin, 13 January 2021 available at https://mb.com.ph/2021/01/13/naias-task-force-facing-challenges-inaccomodating-returning-pinoys/ (last accessed: 01 February 2021) 24 Ime Sornito, “No coordination, no docking of OFW ships; OWWA hit for neglecting OFWs,” Panay News, 04 May 2020 available at https://www.panaynews.net/nocoordination-no-docking-of-ofw-ships-owwa-hit-for-neglecting-ofws/ (Last accessed: 01 February 2021); 25 Manila Bulletin, “OWWA under fire after 5 repatriated OFWs in W. Visayas test positive for COVID-19,” 03 May 2020 available at https://mb.com.ph/2020/05/03/owwaunder-fire-after-5-repatriated-ofws-in-w-visayas-test-positive-for-covid-19/ (Last accessed: 01 February 2021) 26 Perla Lena, “OFWs from Cebu asymptomatic; undergo quarantine: OWWA,” Philippine News Agency, 14 April 2020 available at https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1099762 (Last accessed: 01 February 2021); Ferdinand Patinio, “OWWA to probe execs in Batangas quarantine area visit,” Philippine News Agency, 28 April 2020, available at https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1101277 (Last accessed: 21 June 2021). 27 See: https://www.dole.gov.ph/php_assets/uploads/2020/03/department-order-no.-211-Prescribing-Gidelines-Governing.pdf 28 Amended Implementing Rules and Regulations Governing the Operation of Hotels and other Accommodation Establishments during the period of enhanced community quarantine, Admin. Order No. 2020-001-B, 25 March 2020 http://www.tourism.gov.ph/files/publications/AO2020-001-B.pdf (Last accessed: 01 February 2021) 29 See also: POEA Memorandum Circulars - 2020, http://www.poea.gov.ph/memorandumcirculars/2020/mc2020.html (Last accessed: 01 February 2021) 30 Department of Labor and Employment, Department Order No. 210, “Guidelines for the implementation of the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Displaced / Disadvantaged Workers Program (TUPAD) #Barangay ko, Bahay ko (TUPAD #BKBK) disinfecting / sanitation project, https://www.dole.gov.ph/news/department-orderno-210-guidelines-for-the-implementation-of-the-tulong-panghanapbuhay-sa-ating-displaced-disadvantaged-workers-program-tupad-barangay-ko-bahay-ko-tupad-bkbkdisinfecting/ 31 Department of Labor and Employment, Department Order No. 212, Series of 2020, “Prescribing guidelines on the provision of financial assistance for displaced landbased and seabased Filipino workers due to the Coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) ‘DOLE-AKAP for OFWs,’” https://www.dole.gov.ph/wpcontent/uploads/2020/04/Department-Order-No.212-Series-of-2020.pdf 32 Id. 33 Daphne Galvez, “OWWA: 492,000 OFWs repatriated since start of pandemic,” Inquirer, 26 March 2021, available at https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1411625/owwa492000-ofws-repatriated-since-start-of-pandemic (Last accessed: 19 June 2021). 34 Bruce Rodriguez, “DTI appeals to displaced OFWs to take up business,” ABS-CBN News, 31 March 2021, available at https://news.abscbn.com/business/03/31/21/dti-appeals-to-displaced-ofws-to-take-up-business (Last accessed: 19 June 2021). 22