Pinoys on special flight from China fear discrimination

Some Filipinos who flew back to the Philippines aboard a special flight from China said they feared being discriminated against over fears that they were carriers of the 2019 novel coronavirus.

According to Maki Pulido's Monday report on 24 Oras, the special Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport past 1 p.m. with 124 passengers from Xiamen City and Ghuanzou Province, as well as from Macau and Hong Kong.

Among the passengers was teacher Malou De Asis who came from Fujian City.

De Asis said she was fearful that people would shun her over fears that she would infect them with the novel coronavirus.

“‘Yung pandirian ka, sasabihin may sakit ka na agad, ayaw munang makihalubilo,” said explained.

Irene Aires, another teacher on the special flight, said she was not worried about having the novel coronavirus because they had undergone a two-week lockdown in China.

“Naka-lockdown naman kami, more than two weeks pa nga. Hindi rin naman talaga kami lumabas. So basically okay kami, I’m very sure of that,” said Aires.

Nevertheless, the Department of Health said all 124 passengers aboard the special flight would have to undergo a 14-day self-quarantine as a precautionary measure against the possible spread of the virus.

The novel coronavirus has killed over 900 people worldwide and infected over 40,000 others. — Julia Mari Ornedo/DVM, GMA News