(Eagle News)–The government helped 300 Filipinos from Vietnam return to the Philippines on Saturday, July 25, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
In a statement on Saturday night, the DFA said the Filipinos arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport via chartered Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight PR8592.
The DFA said the Filipinos were composed of Overseas Filipino Workers who lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic, seafarers, and stranded PAL ticket holders.
There was also a fisherman who had been rescued by a Vietnamese vessel after being stranded at sea for a month.
“The flight went to Vietnam empty due to the country’s entry and inbound pax control limitations but PAL agreed to mount the flight even if this is not as commercially profitable compared to other routes where it is allowed to carry inbound passengers,” the DFA said.
Upon arrival, the DFA said the Filipinos underwent “thorough briefing on current safety protocols” as well as RT-PCR testing as prescribed by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
The DFA said will be temporarily housed at Bureau of Quarantine-approved facilities for mandatory quarantine while they await the results of their RT-PCR test.
“The DFA remains true to its commitment to provide timely assistance to distressed overseas Filipinos affected by the COVID-19 pandemic,” the department said.