“There are around 300 Chinese nationals who are stranded in NAIA because most of the airlines have canceled their flights already to and from the different parts of China,” BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said in a media briefing.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 3) — The Bureau of Immigration said Monday it is coordinating with the Chinese embassy to bring home around 300 of its nationals who are in limbo after the Philippines announced a travel ban to China, Hong Kong, and Macau.
BI refused entry to foreigners, including some 300 Chinese nationals, who arrived Sunday evening from Hong Kong and Macau at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). They were stranded at the airport terminals pending their return flights.
The plane carrying the foreign nationals arrived in the country hours after President Rodrigo Duterte expanded the coverage of the temporary travel ban amid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus or 2019-nCoV.
The temporary ban now includes all foreign travelers coming directly from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau or who had been to those places within 14 days immediately preceding their arrival in the Philippines. Filipinos and holders of permanent resident visa will be allowed to enter the country from those places but will undergo 14 days of mandatory quarantine. Filipinos are also temporarily banned from traveling to China, Hong Kong and Macau.
The virus originated in China, where it has killed over 360 people. It has since spread to at least 27 countries and territories, with the first death outside China reported in the Philippines — a Chinese man from Wuhan City who died Saturday in Manila.
Sandoval said the Chinese government is working to repatriate its citizens as soon as possible.
“They have pledged to send an aircraft to fetch their citizens who are stranded in the country. Maybe today or the next few days we’ll find out the details of these flights that the Chinese embassy will be arranging,” she said.
Bureau of Immigration Port Operations Chief Grifton Medina said 33 of the stranded passengers boarded a flight to Hong Kong on Monday morning. Another flight, which is expected to carry 146 of the barred passengers, is expected to leave later in the day.
Sandoval clarified the number of Chinese nationals to be repatriated also includes some already in the country but who have expressed their desire to go home.
