DFA Welcomes 450 Seafarers of 5 Cruise Ships from New Orleans

Pasay CITY 10 April 2020 - The bright Philippine summer sun shone as the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) welcomed today 450 seafarers of the Carnival Fantasy, Freedom, Glory, Legend, and Valor cruise ships from New Orleans, USA.

The seafarers safely arrived in Manila where they are expected to undergo mandatory quarantine, as part of COVID-19 health measures, before returning to their respective hometowns.

The afternoon's flight, made possible through the coordination of the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC and United PH Lines (the local manning agency), is the second of five scheduled repatriations today that will bring home more than a thousand OFWs from the United States and Europe. Counting from February 2020, the DFA today breached the 10,000-person mark in assisted repatriations of OFWs from every corner of the globe.

As the repatriations crossed its 11th straight day, the DFA and partner agencies, including DOH-BOQ, DOLE-OWWA and DOTr, stand ready to assist our OFWs through this COVID-19 pandemic. END (Photos by DFA-OUMWA)