MSU sends 505 stranded students home to Caraga, others

Photo courtesy from ADD/PIA ICIC

BY ASANGAN T. MADALE

Marawi City - MSU President Habib Macaayong said the students failed to go home due to the implementation of enhanced community quarantine in the province to keep the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in check. They were monitored and provided with food commodities by the MSU administration. “Today, we provided two snacks and lunch for their travel back home,” added Macaayong. The MSU administration, in partnership with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Caraga, led the implementation of the “Hatid Estudyante” Program to reunite the students with their families.

LTFRB-CARAGA ferried the 505 stranded students in MSU campuses in Marawi City, Iligan City, and the municipality of Naawan in Misamis Oriental using 22 Bachelor Express buses. “Although may aid na pinapadala ang LGUs, iba pa rin yung nakauwi ka sa pamilya mo. May national emergency tapos malayo ka sa pamilya mo,” said LTFRB-CARAGA OIC-Regional Director Maria Kristina Cassion. She said the return of the students was made possible through the Bayanihan of the  government and private sectors.

“The buses were provided by Bachelor Express, the fuel was donated by Petron and Shell, the allowance of the bus drivers came from private donors, and the food was taken cared by MSU,” said Cassion. “On the part of DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) and DOH (Department of Health) in Caraga, they have established drop off points because these students will undergo rapid testing. If the result is negative, they will be placed under home quarantine for 14 days. But if it is positive, they will have to stay in the isolation facility for 14 days,” added Cassion.

The 505 MSU students who were stranded in the dormitories and boarding houses inside the main campus have undergone the 14-day quarantine and were issued medical certificate prior to sending them home, initiated by Dr. Ramli Usman, Director of MSU Infirmary as part of the protocol, assisted by Dr. Alyana Yanna Habib who validated their papers. The students were certified in good health condition.

After a long day travel and upon arrival in Surigao on May 16, 2020, the Surigao del Norte Provincial Hospital in Placer, Surigao del Norte conducted Rapid Anti body test (RAT) for the returning 87 MSU students, where 86 students tested negative and one with inconclusive test results, a student from Siargao.  A validation test was conducted to the said student on May 19 and was tested positive on coronavirus. The said student is currently quarantine in Community training center in Placer, Surigao del Norte. He is scheduled for swabbing test for RT-PCR on May 25, 2020. Since their arrival, the said student had no symptoms and is in good health condition. An ongoing health monitoring and psychosocial support was provided to the said student. This information was relayed by the Surigao del Norte Provincial Hospital through Dr. Chrismar L. Mocorro, MD, MPM, CFP who is the OIC-Chief of Hospital.

Jovane Lapaza, one of the stranded students, expressed his gratitude to the MSU administration and all the organizations that facilitated their return. “Di mapantayan ang saya na uuwi na kami sa probinsiya namin. Ang university ay hindi din nagpabaya sa pagbigay ng ayuda sa amin. We are very much thankful sa lahat ng efforts nila,” he said.

Meanwhile, 17 MSU students from Lanao del Norte also went home Saturday morning. The MSU provided a bus and delivered them at the Pantar boundary where representatives from the provincial government of Lanao del Norte received them. (Edited and Published by Jun Enriquez)