DOLE Assures Aid to Filipinos Affected by PH Travel Ban to China, Hong Kong, Macau
Robie de Guzman
MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Monday assured assistance to overseas Filipino workers (OFW) affected by the country’s temporary ban to China and its special administrative regions amid the outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
In a statement, DOLE said P10,000 assistance, and transportation will be provided to each OFW who were stranded at the country’s airports due to the travel ban.
DOLE said stranded OFWs will also be given temporary accommodation at the half-way house of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) while arrangements for their travel to the provinces are being made.
According to OWWA Acting Secretary Renato Ebarle said the move is seen to help ease the burden on would-be departing workers and assist them in their transport back to their places of origin.
Hundreds of Filipino workers bound mostly for Hong Kong and Macau were stranded at the Manila airports on Monday following the travel ban imposed by the government to prevent the spread of the 2019-nCoV which originated from Wuhan City, in Hubei province of China.
President Rodrigo Duterte issued the order as part of the government’s precautionary measures following the first reported novel coronavirus-related death in the country.
Last week, the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed the country’s first novel coronavirus case – a 38-year old female Chinese national who traveled from Wuhan City, which is the epicenter of the outbreak.
A few days later, the DOH reported that the patient’s companion – a 44-year old man – died just days after he also tested positive for the virus.
The DOH earlier said that 2019-nCoV symptoms include cough, colds, fever, difficulty in breathing and shortness of breath which can lead to pneumonia, bronchitis, kidney problems, and even death.
As of Monday, February 3, China’s National Health Commission reported 361 deaths due to the virus with 17,205 confirmed cases in China.
Around 21,558 people are suspected of being infected while 475 people have recovered and have been discharged from the hospital.
Source: www.untvweb.com