Philippines gov’t brings nationals stranded in the SAR back home

A total of 163 Filipinos who were stranded in Macau due to the suspension of direct flights between the SAR and Manila arrived in the Philippine capital on Saturday after a chartered flight was arranged by the Philippine government.

The repatriates underwent medical examinations that were carried out by the Philippine Bureau of Quarantine upon their arrival.

The Philippines’ Department of Health said that the first group of Filipinos repatriated from Macau will undergo a health assessment to evaluate which individuals, if any, have symptoms of Covid-19.

According to the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs, five passengers were unable to board the chartered flight. Another passenger boarded the flight late.

“We thank the authorities of Macau, who worked in close coordination with the Philippine Consulate General [… in] arranging this repatriation flight,” said Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo in a statement to ABS-CBN News.

“With the surge of news reports on [Covid-19], the Philippine government remains ready and is prepared in serving and protecting Filipinos here and abroad.”

Last month, a group of 134 Filipinos sent the government a petition via the Philippine Consulate General in Macau requesting a chartered flight back to Manila. Among them were elderly people, pregnant women and people with infants.

However, negotiations with the airline supposed to arrange the flight failed after the company expressed concern over the quarantine measures that would be applied to crew members.

Currently, Filipino nationals are barred from traveling to China and its SARs except overseas Filipino workers and permanent residents of the regions.

Those travelling back to the Philippines from China, Macau and Hong Kong are also being subjected a 14-day home quarantine period.

There are still no flights from Manila to Macau as Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air and AirAsia, the three airlines who fly the routes, have not resumed operations as yet. LV