Through the current humanitarian initiative of the Philippine government, the “Hatid Tulong” Program, which aimed to facilitate citizens in Metro Manila to go back to their home provinces in Visayas and Mindanao after being stranded due to lockdown and travel restrictions amid the ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic,  956 Locally Stranded Individuals (LSIs) arrived in CDO Port at about 3:30 AM on 07 July 2020 onboard 2Go vessel, MV St. Pope John Paul II.

These LSIs were bound to other municipalities and provinces in Region 10, and in Regions 11, 12, and BARMM.

The LSIs have undergone rapid testing for COVID-19 at point of origin as one of the measures to help contain and prevent the spread of the deadly virus. However, as a protocol, the inbound passengers were still subjected to temperature screening by DOH personnel upon their disembarkation from the vessel.

The Port Management Office of Misamis Oriental/Cagayan de Oro prepared bottles of water for the incoming passengers. Port Manager Isidro V. Butaslac Jr. together with Port Police Division personnel were in the ports to facilitate the arrival at early dawn and attend to any concern.

The government targets to assist more than 5,000 stranded individuals under this Program. Thus, PMO MO/C is expecting continuous arrivals and more inbound passengers in the succeeding days.

Other LSIs who are bound to Region 10 were being facilitated in other PPA Ports.