Philippines to repatriate Filipinos from Hubei opting to go home
The Philippine government will repatriate Filipinos from Hubei province in China if they want to go home, a government task force said Tuesday.
This was one of the recommendations reached by the Interagency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases led by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.
The Department of Foreign Affairs, a member of the task force, released a copy of Resolution No. 01, containing the recommendations for the management of novel coronavirus situation and was signed on Tuesday.
The task force resolved to "ensure comprehensive transportation and quarantine plans for Filipinos from Hubei Province who opt to voluntarily return."
But all returning Filipinos shall be quarantined for 14 days, it said.
According to the DFA, there are about 300 Filipinos in Hubei. Wuhan City, Hubei's capital, has been considered as the epicenter of coronavirus.
The task force also proposed the temporary restriction on the issuance of visas for travelers from Hubei.
It also resolved to issue travel advisories temporarily discouraging non-essential travel of Filipinos to China.
The government will also ensure continuous support to Filipinos in China by providing accurate and timely health information and other necessary support services, the resolution read.
Other members for the task force came from the Department of Justice, Department of Labor and Employment, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, Civil Aeronautics Board, and Philippine Coast Guard. Celerina Monte/DMS
