MANILA/TOKYO – A total of 160 Filipinos who were stranded in Japan amid the new coronavirus outbreak have returned home to the Philippines through the efforts of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Philippine Embassy in Tokyo and the Philippine Consulates-General in Osaka and Nagoya.
DFA said on Monday that the repatriates, who departed from Narita International Airport via a chartered flight, were composed of tourists, students and OFWs.
“Philippine Ambassador to Japan Jose C. Laurel V was on hand at Narita Airport to send off the repatriates. He assured the repatriates of the continuing assistance of the Philippine government to the Filipinos abroad,” the DFA said in a statement.
The DFA added that the repatriates came from all over Japan, and were stranded for almost two months due to pandemic-related multiple flight cancellations, limited airline seat availability, or prohibitive airfare rebooking costs.
They were tested for COVID-19 on arrival in Manila, and will undergo hotel quarantine while waiting for the results. - Florenda Corpuz
(Photo credit: DFA-OUMWA)
