COVID-19 OUTBREAK

Some Pinoy crew ‘essential’ for ops may have to stay behind aboard Diamond Princess — DFA spox

Some Filipino crew members of the coronavirus-hit M/V Diamond Princess in Japan may have to stay behind for the continued operation of the quarantined vessel, according to an official of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday.

"[Diamond] Princess cruises has indicated that they may need to have some Filipino crew members remain on board, essential crew, to keep the ship ship-shape," DFA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Ed Meñez said at a press briefing in Malacañang.

"Even before na i-announce 'yung essential crew, I believe over 100 of our crew members nagsabi na rin sila na they were willing to stay behind should it be required by the employer pero as the situation developed mukhang ang Diamond [Princess] cruises mismo ang nagsabi na 'Titingnan namin kung sino lang ang kailangan na crew members na essential para patuloy ang pagtakbo ng ship,'" he added.

Meñez said the DFA has yet to get the final number of Filipinos aboard the coronavirus-hit ship who would be repatriated on February 25. They will be required to undergo a 14-day quarantine at the New Clark City in Tarlac.

At a separate press briefing in Manila, Health Assistant Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that only a few Filipino seafarers may be required to stay behind.

"Sa tingin ko mga less than 20 lang 'yun," she said.

A total of 538 Filipinos were aboard the cruise ship when it was quarantined in Japan earlier this month. Only seven of them were passengers while the rest make up half of the ship's crew members.

As of Monday noon, the number of infected Filipinos aboard Diamond Princess who tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) rose to 59. — RSJ, GMA News