MANILA, Philippines — Two chartered planes left for Japan on Tuesday to bring home more than 400 Filipino crewmen stranded in the coronavirus disease 2019-hit MV Diamond Princess docked at Yokohama port.
This morning, @DFAPHL carries out the directive of SFA @teddyboylocsin to bring our people in the Diamond Princess cruise ship back home.
The first of two flights to get our kababayans back is now ready to leave for Japan! 🇵🇭✈🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/Ni3WOs5gcV
— DFA Philippines 🇵🇭 (@DFAPHL) February 25, 2020
The first plane left Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) at 10:30 a.m. to Haneda, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.
The other aircraft took off at 12:20 p.m.
The first flight is expected to land at the Clark International Airport around 8:30 p.m. while the second one is seen to return home at 10:40 p.m.
Upon arrival, the Filipinos will be quarantined at the New Clark City in Tarlac for 14 days.
The Department of Health will provide health human resources and their transportation to the quarantine site, on-site medical needs of the repatriates, hospitalization expenses through PhilHealth, and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the first five days of the quarantine period.
