Duterte awaits DOH critique on Cebu's OFW swabbing policy

President Duterte is awaiting Health Secretary Francisco Duque's critique of Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia's modified quarantine rules for returning overseas Filipinos and OFWs.

During a two-hour meeting on Monday, Garcia defended her policy of swabbing individuals twice upon arrival and on the seventh day, arguing it was more effective in containing COVID-19 spread and based on humanitarian grounds.

Duterte ordered Duque to critique Cebu's protocols by Thursday, emphasizing that national policies must be followed uniformly at all ports of entry.

The meeting came after Duterte directed all international flights to be diverted from Cebu to Manila between May 29 and June 5, citing full capacity of quarantine hotels in Cebu despite hotel owners denying this claim.