THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) maintained on Saturday that Filipino seafarers who returned to the Philippines aboard their ship after sailing for months or several weeks — and without contracting the coronavirus — should be allowed to disembark and go home to their respective provinces.
“…Those seafarers aboard cruise ships that have been quarantined and have not been infected with Covid, either passenger or crew, that could be their 14-day quarantine at sea; so that when they arrive here, they can go to their respective provinces or homes,” DFA Undersecretary Brigido “Dodo” Dulay explained in Filipino.
“Apparently, it was the understanding at the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) that if the crew had undergone 14 days at sea on their way back and no cases of Covid were ever reported onboard, then they should be allowed off. There may have been confusion in implementation but they should sort it out,” he added.
Eight cruise ships with an estimated 4,000 OFW crew members arrived in Manila Bay last April 22.
“There are 8 Covid-19 free cruise ships in Manila Bay with Filipino crews,” Locsin tweeted, adding “we have vessels rotting in Manila Bay because of that distortion.”
The distortion Locsin was referring to seems to have been the resolution adopted by the IATF allowing the seamen to come ashore since they have already been quarantined at sea during their long voyages.
However, it appears that the resolution was not followed to the letter.
“We at IATF unanimously adopted the 3-point resolution addressing this situation-although a halfwit reduced it to one paragraph which explains why the BI [Bureau of Immigration] is confused,” he tweeted.
“I will bring up the distorted and truncated statement of the resolution adopted by the IATF unanimously regarding the Green Lane and the adoption of the sea voyages as compliance with the 14 day quarantine,” said the DFA chief on Friday.
Dulay said it had been agreed upon by IATF members that all Overseas Filipino (OF), either land-based or sea-based, should undergo a 14-day quarantine. However, he added, the Department of Health (DoH), a member of the IATF, had laid out a protocol, agreeing that the seafarers’ 14-day quarantine aboard their ships is enough reason for exemption.
However, other land-based OFWs should be brought to a quarantine facility.
The first flotilla of eight cruise ships dropped anchor in succession off Manila Bay last April 22, followed by Asian’ largest cruise ship that arrived last April 23.
It is estimated that there are about 4,000 to 5,000 Filipino seafarers aboard those cruise ships. Two more cruise liners, P&O Australia and a Carnival ship, are steaming towards Manila Bay from Bali, Indonesia, and are expected to arrive here this coming week, according to recruitment consultant Manny Geslani.
Business Mirror asked Dana Sandoval, Bureau of Immigration spokesman, the exact number of seafarers aboard the nine ships. She said there is “ongoing inspection by the Bureau of Quarantine and the BI could not interfere while this is going on.”
Meanwhile, returning OFWs at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal will undergo testing in a one-stop shop (OSS) established at the premier airport starting April 23, 2020.