The government sent home more than 4,000 locally stranded individuals (LSIs) under its “Hatid Tulong” initiative last weekend, Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año in his report to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Wednesday.

A total of 4,180 LSIs were sent to Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley Region, Central Luzon, Mimaropa, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, Zamboanga Peninsula Region, and Soccsksargen last July 4 and 5, Secretary Año told President Duterte.

The government used 92 buses, one ship and one PNR train to ferry the LSIs, Año said, adding they plan to carry out another Hatid Tulong initiative this month in cooperation with the office of Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go.

Año, who was ordered by the President to house stranded individuals, said they assist LSIs find temporary shelter. They were sent to Villamor Air Base Elementary School, Philippine Army Wellness Center, Philippine Ports Authority, as well as Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminals 2 and 3.

Año also reported that 3,820 LSIs went home through planes and ships while 1,476 remain under the care of the government. LSIs without plane or ship bookings are put on the priority list under the Hatid Tulong initiative.

“Kinukuha po ‘yung kanilang contact number para po sa susunod na Hatid Tulong Program ay sila po ‘yung priority para po maihatid natin sa kanilang pupuntahang probinsiya,” he told the President.

Participating agencies include the Presidential Management Staff (PMS), office of Senator Go, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of National Defense (DND), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Agriculture (DA), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Department of Tourism (DOT), Pasay City government, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), and the League of Municipalities of the Philippines. PND