DFA Seeking Clearance from Chinese Authorities to Repatriate Pinoys in Hubei

By ERWIN COLCOL, GMA News

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is currently in talks with Chinese authorities to provide Filipinos from Hubei province the clearance to be repatriated back to the Philippines amid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in that area.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Brigido Dulay made the remark during the hearing of the House Committee on Metro Manila Development on the government efforts against the spread of the virus in the metro.

“The DFA is processing now all of the permits and clearances for repatriation of our Filipinos in Hubei province,” Dulay said, adding 42 Filipinos have already expressed their intention to join the repatriation.

He said the repatriation is only meant for Filipinos in Hubei province as they are the ones who are restricted to travel.

“Being the foreign national in China, we work with the host government’s rules. So right now, our team is getting all of these clearances from the different offices in China, namely the one in Beijing,” Dulay said.

“Another permit will be secured in Shanghai which covers the Wuhan area. And another one from the provincial government of Wuhan,” he added.

“We are working with all of these agencies in China to get clearances for repatriation.”

Earlier in the day, Malacañang said the initial batch of Filipinos who will leave China to go back to the Philippines will arrive this weekend.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the repatriated Filipinos will arrive at Clark Airport in Pampanga on Saturday and will be transported to the drug rehabilitation facility inside Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija where they are expected to undergo a 14-day quarantine.

As of Wednesday, the 2019-nCoV has already claimed 490 lives and infected over 20,000 people, mostly coming from China. —KBK, GMA News

Source: www.gmanetwork.com