MANILA, Philippines — A total of 444 Filipinos who were aboard the MV Grand Princess docked in the Port of Oakland in California, United States have been repatriated by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Sunday.
In a statement, the DFA said 438 of the Filipinos to be brought home were crew members while six are passengers.
They are expected to arrive at the Haribon Hangar in Clark Airbase, Pampanga.
“The repatriates underwent health screening upon disembarkation facilitated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,” the DFA said.
DFA to Bring Home Filipinos Aboard the MV Grand Princess:https://t.co/SThWTq0IVF
A total of 444 Filipinos of the MV Grand Princess docked in the Port of Oakland in California, USA are set to be repatriated by the DFA on 15 March 2020.#AssistanceToNationals#DFAinACTION pic.twitter.com/vehGkLTQXy
— DFA Philippines 🇵🇭 (@DFAPHL) March 15, 2020
Upon arrival, the Filipinos will be immediately transported on chartered buses and will be subjected to a 14-day quarantine period at the Athletes’ Village in New Clark City under the full medical attention of health professionals from the Department of Health (DOH).
Meanwhile, the 91 Filipino crew members volunteered to remain on board the ship to help in manning the cruise ship.
The Philippine government repatriated on Feb. 25 more than 400 Filipino crewmen of the MV Diamond Princess cruise ship that was anchored in Yokohama, Japan for quarantine of 14 days after some passengers were infected with COVID-19. They were directly taken to New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, for the mandatory 14-day quarantine.
The Philippines has so far recorded 111 COVID-19 cases, of which, eight have already died.
The Philippines is currently under a state of public health emergency due to the virus, which originated from Hubei, China.
The World Health Organization declared the disease as a global pandemic after it killed nearly 5,000 people and infected 110,000 others worldwide.