OVER 800 seafarers from the United States returned to the Philippines early this week, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Monday, April 20.
With the arrival of 867 more Filipinos from several Florida-based cruise ships, the agency has repatriated close to 18,000 overseas Filipino workers amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
“This is the third straight week since the DFA facilitated the series of repatriations that followed the catastrophic economic impact wrought by the COVID-19 global pandemic,” the DFA said.
Composed of seafarers from ships Norwegian Pearl, Sky, Star, Sun, and Escape, the latest batch was assisted by the DFA through the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C, together with its partner agencies the Department of Health, the Bureau of Immigration, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), the Department of Transportation (DOTr), and local manning agency (LMA) CF Sharp.
The repatriates underwent mandatory inspection and appropriate protocols supervised by the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ). They will also undergo quarantine in BOQ-designated facilities.
The two chartered flights that landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 on Monday morning were paid by Norwegian Cruise Lines, the ships’ mother company. Meanwhile, CF Sharp shouldered the costs for the onward transportation and quarantine facility.
As of writing, the DFA has reported 94 new cases of COVID-19 among Filipinos abroad, bringing the official tally to 1,084.
“Following an increase in reports of confirmed cases over the past days, today the DFA reports that the total number of Filipinos abroad infected by COVID-19 has breached the 1,000-mark with 94 new cases from the Americas, Europe, and the Asia Pacific,” DFA Assistant Secretary Eduardo Meñez said Tuesday, April 21.
“Based on the updated figures, the rate of new recoveries and new deaths as of today are at 2.28% and 6.99%, respectively,” he said.
The death toll has climbed to 153, while 269 Filipinos have recovered and have been discharged.
“The DFA, through its embassies and consulates, remains committed to supporting global and national efforts against COVID-19 by monitoring the status of our people abroad, providing assistance whenever possible, and helping those who wish to be repatriated in this time of the pandemic,” Meñez said
