An official of the Department of Foreign Affairs said Thursday that while there was a standing order for the immediate repatriation of overseas Filipino workers reportedly fired by their employers in Hong Kong after testing positive for COVID-19, no single Filipino asked to be thus brought back to Manila.
“There’s no one hit by COVID [for us] to repatriate or asking to be repatriated at this time . . . That’s the bottom line,” Foreign Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Affairs Brigido Dulay said in a text message.
Earlier reports said at least 45 OFWs were displaced and forced to stay in parks after they were rejected by their employers.
There are some 220,000 Filipino workers in Hong Kong. They constitute the largest ethnic minority in the Chinese city.
The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong said Tuesday about 190 OFWs now have COVID-19.
“There are no Filipinos to be repatriated because the supposed firing has been exaggerated and sensationalized,” the DFA official said.
“While there may have been rare grievances, they have all been taken care of by the HK government and our PH Consulate,” he added.
Last week, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the immediate repatriation of some overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong who were fired by their employers after testing positive with COVID-19.
In his regular late-night public address, Duterte said he was saddened to learn of the unfortunate plight of OFWs infected with the virus as a result of the recent surge of COVID-19 cases in the Chinese special administrative region.
The President directed Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana to spearhead the operations for repatriation services.
Lorenzana then said he was closely coordinating with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Consulate for the deployment of government air assets, such as C130s, and/or chartered commercial flights to be sent for those who want to be repatriated.