PH Seafarers Around EU Employed By Deme NV Fly Home

Philippine Ambassador to Belgium Eduardo José A. de Vega leads the Philippine seafarers about to fly back home to the Philippines in a symbolic gesture indicating that the Philippines will defeat COVID-19, at a short ceremony to send off the seafarers at the Brussels South Charleroi Airport on 22 July 2020. Pursuant to regulations, all of the seafarers tested negative for COVID-19 prior to their repatriation flight home. (Brussels PE photo)

BRUSSELS 24 July 2020 – The Philippine Foreign Service, represented by the Philippine Embassy in Brussels, was again at the forefront of assisting Philippine nationals abroad by coordinating the repatriation of 74 Philippine seafarers, as well as one Belgian seafarer married to a Filipino national. The seafarers were stationed aboard 11 different ships before they boarded their chartered nonstop flight via Air Belgium to the Philippines at the Brussels South Charleroi Airport on 22 July 2020. 

The flight arrived safely in Manila on 23 July 2020. The seafarers were employed by Belgian civil engineering and dredging group, DEME NV. All seafarers tested negative for COVID-19 before they boarded their flight.

DEME NV Human Resource (HR) Manager (Maritime) Bert Geeraerts praised the group’s professionalism and hoped that DEME NV will again have an opportunity in the near future to work with these seafarers.

Philippine Ambassador to Belgium Eduardo José A. de Vega wished the seafarers a safe trip and exhorted them “to continue making the Philippines and other overseas Filipinos who came before you, such as Dr. Jose Rizal, proud by doing your work professionally and to the best of your abilities.” END

For more information, visit https://www.brusselspe.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHinBelgium/.