DFA: 300 Pinoys in China want to go home

MANILA, Philippines — About 300 Filipinos in China, mostly from Wuhan where the novel coronavirus strain was first discovered, have expressed desire to be repatriated, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday.

The DFA is ready to repatriate Filipinos in Wuhan City and the rest of Hubei province who wish to come home, subject to China’s rules on disease containment, including immigration clearance and quarantine process.

The DFA is making available special flights from Hubei to the Philippines. Filipinos in the area who wish to be repatriated should contact the Philippine consulate general in Shanghai.

The consulate estimates there are 300 Filipinos in the province, including 150 in Wuhan.

“About 50 so far have indicated desire to leave. Any repatriation would need to consider the safety, in coordination with Chinese authorities’ approval,” said DFA spokesman Eduardo Meñez.

“Everything is still being coordinated and considered so no details yet – as was mentioned, it may be safer to stay put,” he said.

Upon arrival in the Philippines, the DFA said the Filipinos would be subject to 14-day mandatory quarantine per guidelines of the Department of Health (DOH).

Filipinos who wish to stay in China should heed advisories from local health authorities and cooperate with efforts to quell the spread of 2019-nCoV.

During emergency situations, Filipinos in Hubei may contact any of the two 24-hour hotlines established by China Ministry of Foreign Affairs: +86-27-8712-2256 and +86-27-8781-1173. Filipinos may also use the hotlines to request assistance, supplies and other needs.

DFA Undersecretary Dodo Dulay announced that the DFA would suspend visa issuances to those coming from Hubei province in China.

“Pursuant to the IATF on (2019 novel coronavirus) resolution, DFA has temporarily suspended the issuance of Philippine visas to travelers from Hubei province, China, effective immediately,” Dulay tweeted on Tuesday night.

A justice official emphasized repatriated Filipinos from Hubei would still be made to undergo normal immigration procedures as a precaution against the contagion as well as prevent foreign terrorists from taking advantage of an emergency medical situation to enter the country.

“Immigration procedures and formalities for repatriated overseas Filipinos from parts of China will be handled by a special team of immigration officers. The team has undergone briefings conducted by the Bureau of Quarantine and will be provided with the necessary protective gear,” Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete said.

Hubei’s capital Wuhan is said to be the epicenter of the deadly coronavirus strain.

Once they return to the country, these Filipinos would be quarantined for 14 days, he said.

“We need to check and verify the identity of every person who enters our gates,” he explained. 

“Apart from updating travel records, immigration formalities are essential for our national security. We want to make sure that our security is not compromised by those who seek to gain entry into our territory by exploiting the current situation,” he said. – With Evelyn Macairan, Mayen Jaymalin, Gilbert Bayoran