By JOSEPH PEDRAJAS
One-hundred sixty-three Filipinos from Macau returned home yesterday afternoon amid the continuing spread of the novel coronavirus disease 2019, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
The repatriated Filipinos, which included undocumented and irregular workers and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration members, arrived in the country onboard a chartered Air Macau flight at 4 p.m.
According to the DFA, five repatriates “were unable to board for various reasons,” while there is one more “additional passenger who was able to join late.”
“Details on OWWA membership or not may be clarified by OWWA team at airport,” the DFA added.
According to the DFA, they were stranded in the Chinese special administrative region since February following the travel restrictions imposed by the Philippine government on various countries.
The restriction was eventually relaxed but the DFA was unable to send them back to Macau as flights were unavailable.
The DFA assured that they are asymptomatic and will undergo a two-week home quarantine.
But if some show COVID-19 symptoms upon arrival, they will immediately be taken to a medical facility for investigation.