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The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) resumed its repatriation program on Monday with the reopening of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
DFA brought home 299 Philippine crew members from the MV Azura from London, UK.
The repatriation of distressed Filipinos abroad was temporarily suspended, following the directive of the National Working Group against Covid-19, which restricted incoming flights from May 3 to 10.
The NAIA week-long shutdown was intended to decongest hospitals and quarantine facilities and further contain 2019 coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
As of May 2, DFA has repatriated 24,422 Filipino workers abroad (OFW), of whom 16,936 were seafarers and 7,486 were land-based.
“Why should we allow 400 to 800 Filipinos or even 3,000 to go home every day? Because they have the constitutional, absolute and total right to return home that no power can suspend, slow down or, in any way, restrict, “explained Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Twitter.” The government has only one power: bring them home. “
He said the DFA has repatriated “tens of thousands of Filipino workers abroad the instant they were out of work.” You’ve exhausted our quarantine and home testing capabilities, but I don’t care [that it did because] I will not let our people die in the deserts. Period.”
The department’s official position is that it is committed “to the nation-wide approach and ready to assist returning Filipinos affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.”
“For the information of all OFWs and their families, there are now 26 government-certified laboratories / facilities for Covid-19 testing as of May 10,” a statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs read.
The DFA also said that, based on Resolution 30, issued by the Interinstitutional Working Group for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, dated April 29, all Filipinos and foreigners arriving from abroad must be quarantined and Covid . tests.
