Filipino workers may be allowed to return to China and its special administrative regions only if their safety and health are guaranteed amid the coronavirus threat, according to Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles.
But for now, Nograles said, the government’s restriction on Filipinos from traveling to China will stay due to concerns for the safety and protection. A daily assessment of the situation will be conducted to determine if it would be safe to allow them to return to their jobs in China.
The decision was reached following an “intensive discussion” on the issue during the Cabinet meeting convened by President Duterte in Malacañang last Tuesday.
“We realize the need for them to start work immediately. We realize the concern about their jobs there so but we have to balance that also with public health, public safety, and safety of those Filipino workers,” Nograles said.
“We will assess it day by day and the President will decide kapag nakita na niya na stable na, kapag safe na at puwede na i-lift ‘yung ban of Filipino workers who want to go back and work in Hong Kong or China,” he added.
The President recently prohibited from Filipinos from traveling to China, Macau, and Hong Kong for the meantime as part of the precautions against the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus. (Genalyn Kabiling)
