Nearly 1,000 repatriated Filipino seafarers arrive home amid pandemic

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) reported Tuesday the arrival of nearly 1,000 repatriated crew members of a Norwegian cruise ship.

According to DOTr, with the help of its maritime sector, the department facilitated the arrival of almost 1,000 Filipino crew members aboard MV “Norwegian Encore” at the Port of Manila on April 11.

Philippine Ports Authority Port Manager Eligio Fortajada said that the repatriated crew members all underwent profiling from the Department of Health and will undergo the mandatory quarantine and testing protocols set by the national government.

Doctors and nurses, who are all under the supervision of Bureau of Quarantine, will be onsite to assist the seafarers.

The seafarers will undergo swab testing on the sixth day of their quarantine.

DOTr said that expenses for the swab tests will be subsidized through the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, also known as Republic Act No. 1149.

Under this law, the Philippine government has allotted P270 million for the free RT-PCR testing of returning Filipino seafarers to alleviate the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the seafaring industry.

As of March 18, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration said that nearly 500,000 OFWs have returned to the country since 2020.

RELATED STORY:

Nearly half a million OFWs have returned to PH since 2020 — OWWA 

JPV