All Filipinos Arriving In The Philippines From China Shall Be Quarantined For 14 Days

The first batch of Filipinos is scheduled to be repatriated next week subject to China’s rules on disease containment, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in an advisory issued Thursday night, January 30.

Amid health concerns brought about by the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019 nCoV) outbreak, the DFA assured that it stands ready to repatriate Filipinos in China.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Brigido Dulay said the Philippine government is coordinating with Chinese authorities and observing protocol in the repatriation of Filipinos from China.

Upon arrival in the Philippines, repatriates will be subjected to 14 days of mandatory quarantine in accordance with the guidelines of the Department of Health.

“We will repatriate them on condition that they will be quarantined for 14 days not only for their safety but also of their families,” Mr. Dulay said.

Filipinos in Wuhan City and the rest of Hubei province will be afforded priority in the first batch of repatriates.

Filipinos who wish to be included in the first batch are encouraged to contact the Philippine Embassy in Beijing or the nearest Consulate General in their area by February 3, 2020.

There are an estimated 150 Filipinos in Wuhan City and about 300 in the entire Hubei province.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III reported that the government is already making preparations to repatriate Filipinos who are interested to come home from China.

“The government will take care of you, whether you chose to stay or return home. For those who choose to return, you will be taken care of in a health facility for monitoring and further medical management,” Secretary Duque said.

In an interview with the Philippine News Agency, Philippine Ambassador to Beijing Jose Santiago Sta. Romana said all those who wish to come home will be assisted.

He also reminded the concerned Filipinos to consider the risks as the 2019-nCoV continues to spread in the country. 

“The moment they step out of their house, they go to the airport, they are on the plane there might be contact, the risk increases as compared to self-quarantine,” he said. 

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“Those who still want to go home after knowing all these (may) sign up then we’ll have an exact number,” he added.

As of posting, none of the 150 Filipinos in Wuhan and the remaining 150 within the province have been reported infected, all of whom are “basically staying indoors for self-quarantine,” said Mr. Sta. Romana.

“The assistance now is we are cooperating with the Chinese government if they need food, water, medical assistance, and face mask. The Chinese government has announced on Monday that they are shipping supplies to Wuhan, to Hubei including to foreign citizens meaning our Pinoys and they provided hotline numbers, online for 24 hours,” he said.

On Tuesday, a Department of Health-led interagency group on the 2019-nCoV situation proposed a “temporary restriction of issuance of visa for travelers coming from Hubei” and to issue travel advisories temporarily discouraging non-essential travel of Filipinos to China.

Meanwhile, President Rodrigo Duterte will temporarily ban all travelers from the Hubei, the Chinese province at the epicenter of a virus outbreak that has spread beyond the country’s borders, a lawmaker said Friday.

“The President has agreed to implement a temporary travel ban on people from Wuhan city and the entire Hubei province,” Senator Bong Go said in a statement.

Source: PNA