COVID-19 THREAT

2 chartered planes to bring home Pinoys from Japan cruise ship

Two chartered planes of flag-carrier Philippine Airlines will be flying to Japan on Tuesday to pick up over 400 Filipinos from the coronavirus-hit cruise ship M/V Diamond Princess.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Dodo Dulay said that the first plane had already left for Japan at 11 a.m. and is expected to reach Haneda Airport at 4:27 p.m.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, the first plane is expected to arrive at Clark Air Base in Pampanga at 8:30 p.m. while the second one will touch down at 10:40 p.m.

An earlier report by Allan Gatus on Dobol B sa News TV cited information from a source that the planes will be leaving for Japan at night.

The first aircraft is scheduled to leave the Philippines at 8:35 p.m. and the second will depart at 8:40 p.m. Details on the expected time of return to the country was still unavailable as of posting time.

Meanwhile, a report by Bam Alegre on Unang Balita said the planes will leave at 10:30 a.m. and 12:20 p.m., respectively. The aircraft are expected to reach Haneda Airport at 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 pm.

The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday refused to disclose information on the exact time of arrival of the Filipino repatriates from Japan.

Fifty-nine out of the 538 Filipinos aboard the M/V Diamond Princess had tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). They will not be among those who will be repatriated on Tuesday.

Those who tested negative will head straight to the Athletes' Village at the New Clark City in Tarlac upon arrival in the Philippines, along with the 11 members of the repatriation team, for a mandatory 14-day quarantine period.

Two 15-storey buildings will house the hundreds of repatriates, according to a separate report by Jonathan Andal on Unang Balita. The quarantine facility remained on lockdown as of Tuesday morning.

The arriving Filipinos from Japan will be the second batch of repatriates in the country amid the COVID-19 threat.

Authorities assured that the Athletes' Village has been disinfected after the Filipinos from China's Wuhan City successfully completed the quarantine period there last Saturday. —Dona Magsino/KBK, GMA News