Palace vows to assist stranded Filipinos after death of woman who waited for Bicol bus ride

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Thursday vowed to assist locally stranded Filipinos amid the coronavirus lockdown as it expressed grief over the death of Michelle Silvertino, the woman who died while waiting for a bus ride to Bicol.

In a televised press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the government will extend assistance to the family of Silvertino, a single mother of four children aged 3 to 11.

“Wala pong gustong mangyari ito pero gagawa na po tayo ng paraan para hindi na po maulit ang nangyari kay Michelle,” Roque said.

He then called on the local government units to assist stranded individuals in airports and bus terminals or coordinate with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

“Dadalhin po ang mga stranded doon sa area ng airport at tsaka sa mga bus sa Pasay sa Villamor Golf Course for rapid testing. Hinihintay na lang ang approval ng Villamor kung sila ay pansamantalang maninirahan doon habang nag-aantay ng kanilang flights o kaya mga bus pauwi,” Roque said.

(The stranded individuals in airports and bus terminals will be brought to the Villamor Golf Course for rapid testing. We are just waiting for approval of the Villamor Golf Course if they can temporarily stay there while they book their flights or buses home.)

The plight of Silvertino reflects the transportation woes experienced by many Luzon workers as quarantine measures limited the operation of public transportation.

Silvertino was declared dead on arrival at the Pasay City General Hospital (PCGH) at 5:26 p.m. on June 5 after staying on a footbridge along Edsa-Pasay for days in hopes of catching a ride to Bicol.

The death certificate issued on Monday said that Silvertino was a probable (severe) new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) case.

/MUF