Bagunas negative for COVID-19, cleared to go home after getting stranded

FIL – Volleyball star Bryan Bagunas receiving his citation at the 2020 PSA Awards. INQUIRER PHOTO/TRISTAN TAMAYO

MANILA, Philippines—Volleyball star Bryan Bagunas has tested negative for COVID-19 and is cleared to go home after getting stranded in a quarantine hotel while waiting  for his test results a week since arriving from Japan.

Bagunas, who plays for Oita Miyoshi Weisse Adler in Japan’s V.League, reportedly landed home on March 15 after the volleyball tournament was canceled due to the coronavirus.

In a tweet, Bagunas shared a photo of him holding up a clearance document and thanked sports broadcaster Dyan Castillejo for the assistance.

Thank you so much sa pagtulong Ms @DYANCASTILLEJO ☺️🤗 https://t.co/vhFglCg4XI

— Bryan Bagunas (@bryanbagunas01_) May 21, 2020

The Southeast Asian Games silver medalist was tested for COVID-19 at Ninoy Aquino International Airport as per the safety protocols of Inter-Agency Task Force for arrivals from abroad.

Bagunas said in a series of tweets that he had been stranded in a hotel while awaiting his results even though he was told that he would get it “three to four” days.

It took a week before he got his results.

“Yung sabi sa amin three to four days lalabas na yung result ng swab test and pwede na kami makauwe. Kaso seven days na at wala pa ring update,” said Bagunas. “Maawa naman kayo sa aming mga non OFW.”

“Ang masama pa dun, ang sinasabi lang nila na available hotel na accredited nila pinaka-mababa na is 3k per night.”

Yung sabi na 3-4 days lalabas na yung result ng swab test at pwede na kami makauwe. Kaso mag 7 days na wala pa din update. Maawa po kayo samin mga NON OFW. Ang masama pa dun ang sinasabe lang nila na available hotel na accredited nila pinaka mababa na is 3k per night.

— Bryan Bagunas (@bryanbagunas01_) May 20, 2020

(It’s nearly seven days and there’s still no update, please take pity on us non-OFWs [overseas Filipino workers]. Worse, they told us that the only available accredited hotel costs 3,000 pesos a night.)

“Please have mercy on us especially those who were just stranded. Rebooking flights are also expensive,” said Bagunas.