DFA Welcomes Home 290 Seafarers on Easter Sunday Morning

PASAY CITY 12 April 2020 — The repatriation of OFWs has not lost momentum as the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) welcomed home 290 seafarers from Miami, USA in the morning of Easter Sunday, 12 April 2020. The repatriates were from Oceania Cruises MS Sirena, Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady, Norwegian Encore and Norwegian Dawn.

The seafarers underwent thorough mandatory health inspection by the DOH- Bureau of Quarantine upon disembarkation from the Privilege Style Air chartered flight. They will be subjected to 14-day home quarantine at their respective homes. Those who reside outside Metro Manila will be billeted in predetermined hotels approved by the DOH.

The manning agency for MS Sirena, Norwegian Encore and Norwegian Dawn is CF Sharp while the manning agency for Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady is Shinga Ship Management. The respective manning agencies have made arrangements for the onward transportation of their crew members.

The Philippine Coast Guard also provided additional transport assistance to bring the crew members to their assigned quarantine facilities.

With the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC and the manning agencies at the forefront, this repatriation is a coordinated effort of DFA-OUMWA with its major partner agencies, notably, DOH, OWWA and DOTr. END (Photo by DFA-OUMWA)