167 Filipinos evacuated from Macau to arrive in Manila

Personnel at Ninoy Aquino International Airport wear face masks as they prepare
to receive new arrivals who may be sick or in need of assistance.—LYN RILLON

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 167 Filipinos will arrive in the Philippines from Macau on Saturday afternoon aboard a chartered flight, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

In a statement, the foreign affairs department said 137 undocumented and irregular overseas Filipino workers (OFW) and 30 registered  OFWs will be evacuated from China’s Special Administrative Region (SAR) due to the coronavirus disease or COVID-19.

The team from the Department of Health and  DFA will undertake the necessary health protocols to ensure the repatriates are not showing symptoms of the disease that originated in China. If they are found symptomatic, they will be brought to a medical facility for observation and treatment.

The DFA said the repatriates will arrive at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 at 4:30 p.m.

Filipino repatriates in Macau will be considered as patients under monitoring (PUMs), who are required to undergo a 14-day home quarantine upon arrival in the Philippines.

The Philippines has imposed a travel ban going to and from China and its SARs — Hong Kong and Macau — to curb the spread of the fatal disease that has infected more than 100,000 people worldwide and killed at least 3,400.