Another cruise ship with Pinoy workers docks in Manila Bay

With the Philippine Coast Guard monitoring seven cruise ships with Filipino crew aboard for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, an eighth Filipino-crewed vessel docked in Manila Bay on Tuesday. 

Interviewed on Dobol B sa News TV, PCG spokesperson Commodore Armand Balilo estimated that there were around 2,000 Filipinos in these ships, and all of them had to undergo a 14-day quarantine.

“May pito kahapon, pero meron akong nakikitang isang bagong dock ngayon dito, yung Pacific Explorer—pangwalo,” Balilo said.

“Ang ginagawa natin dito hihintayin natin ‘yung clearance ng Bureau of Quarantine pagkatapos saka pinagdedesisyunan kung papayagang mag-dock at ibaba ang mga pasahero,” he added.

Commodore Balilo, PCG: May 7 kahapon at may bagong 1 cruise ship na naka dock ngayon (sa Manila bay), ang ginagawa natin ngayon ay hihintayin natin ang clearance ng Bureau of Quarantine tapos pinagdedesisyunan kung papayagang magdock at ibaba ang mga pasahero.

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) April 28, 2020

Balilo explained that all the Filipino crewmen were returning home as many cruise lines were pausing their operations in light of the COVID-19 threat.

The monitoring effort was part of Task Force Bayanihan, a program of the PCG and the Department of Transportation to assist the Filipinos who were affected by the pandemic and were traveling back to the country.

Seafarers would be brought to the 2GO’s floating quarantine facilities near the PCG headquarter, while overseas Filipino workers would be assisted by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration in booking hotels as their quarantine facility. — Joviland Rita/DVM, GMA News