Filipino Crew, Other Stranded Filipinos Return to the PH from Germany

Philippine Ambassador to Germany Ma. Theresa Dizon-De Vega (center, foremost, in black top) and Labor Attaché Delmer Cruz (left, in blue shirt) speak with Filipino seafarers during check-in. (Berlin PE photo)

BERLIN 30 June 2020 – A group of 237 Filipino crewmembers principally of the Döhle Group, other shipping and crewing companies, and stranded Filipinos in Germany and other countries in the EU region departed from Hamburg, Germany on 26 June 2020 via a chartered Condor Airlines flight and arrived in the Philippines on 27 June 2020.

The seafarers and other Filipinos had been awaiting repatriation after cruise trips were suspended and travel restrictions were implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic starting in March of this year.

A team from the Philippine Embassy in Berlin, led by Philippine Ambassador Ma. Theresa Dizon-De Vega, and composed of Labor Attaché Delmer Cruz, Consul Rogelio Villanueva of the Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt, and staff members Renante Estrella and Vieto Pilapil, assisted and sent off the Filipino crew and other passengers at the airport.

Joining the flight to return to their posts in the Philippines were German Ambassador to the Philippines Anke Reiffenstuel and other members of the German Embassy in Manila.

Before departure, the Filipino passengers were provided with information on how to avail of the AKAP or Social Amelioration Fund and also the Balik Pinas, Balik Hanapbuhay Livelihood Assistance Program of OWWA.  END

German Ambassador Anke Reiffenstuel (rightmost) with Philippine Ambassador to Germany Ma. Theresa Dizon-De Vega (second from right), Labor Attaché Delmer Cruz (second from left), and Consul Rogelio Villanueva (leftmost) confer on the arrangements for the flight. (Berlin PE photo)

Labor Attaché Cruz (rightmost) explains the AKAP and other government programs for returning overseas workers. (Berlin PE photo)

For more information, visit  https://www.berlinpe.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.philippine-embassy.de or https://www.facebook.com/PHinGermany.