BUTUAN CITY, July 13 (PIA) -- With the rising number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) - Caraga accelerated the response action and in facilitating the distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE) to the frontliners.

The sets of PPE were turned over to local government units, hospitals, and government lines agencies such as Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) - Caraga as communication frontline agency.

"Right from the start of the operation in the region against COVID-19, OCD continuously provides PPE as well as fuel to concerned agencies. These PPE sets were turned over to the LGUs and especially to the national and local hospitals in the region that operates specifically against COVID-19," said April Rose Ann Sanchez, information officer of the OCD-Caraga.

As the lead of the Caraga Regional Task Force for COVID-19 and as a member-agency of the Caraga Regional Task Group for Repatriation, OCD-Caraga also rendered their services at the one-stop-shop established at the port of entry of the region.

The OCD-Caraga has also provided fuel to the vehicles designated to fetch and transport the locally stranded individuals and returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) to their respective provinces.

"We provide fuel to the private and LTRFRB buses that cater the transfer of these locally stranded individuals (LSIs) to and from Cagayan de Oro, Davao City and those coming to Butuan City," said Sanchez.

Prior to the implementation of the moratorium of flights and mercy voyage which started on June 22 until July 4 of this year, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) - Caraga has already recorded more than 4,500 inbound LSIs while there are also over 4,200 outbound LSIs, and more than a thousand ROFs have arrived in the region.

Meanwhile, the returning seafarers expressed their appreciation for the assistance provided by the government and for their safe return in the region after being stranded in Luzon for many weeks due to the pandemic.

OCD-Caraga also gave a stern reminder to all Caraganons. "For Caraganons, we are still appealing to you the way the One Caraga Shield has appealed even before - to keep safe and be conscious and wary especially that Butuan City has declared a local transmission of COVID-19. So keep safe and be responsible enough to follow the guidelines imposed by the authorities," said Sanchez. (VLG/PIA-Caraga)