6K OFWs stranded in Manila due to PhilHealth-Red Cross dispute

Around 6,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are stranded in Metro Manila while waiting for their COVID-19 test results due to delays caused by a dispute between the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the Philippine Red Cross (PRC).

The PRC halted its testing operations because of PhilHealth's unpaid PHP1 billion debt, causing delays in processing swab tests.

Some OFWs have been waiting for their test results for over a week, with one worker reporting that his specimen could not be located.

OWWA Administrator Hans Cacdac assured that the quarantined OFWs are within capacity and isolated in hotel facilities.