444 Filipinos repatriated from virus-stricken Grand Princess
Some of the 444 Filipino passengers and crew wave as they board the 777 charter plane that will take them to the Clark Airbase in Pampanga on the way to the Athlete’s Village in Capas Tarlac for a 14-day quarantine period. CONTRIBUTED
SAN FRANCISCO — Filipinos on the cruise ship Grand Princess, which docked in Port of Oakland, have been finally repatriated to the Philippines Saturday, March 14 after persistent efforts at coordination by the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco and the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. with U.S. federal, state and Philippine authorities and Carnival Corp.
A total of 444 Filipinos disembarked M/V Grand Princess after health screenings conducted by US Department of Health and Human Services. They took a 747 charter flight that left San Francisco International Airport Saturday, for the Haribon Hangar in Clark Airbase in Pampanga.
Ninety-one (91) of the Filipino crew members, however, decided to be left behind the Grand Princess to continue their tasks as part of the Minimum Safe Manning and Minimum Operational Manning teams of the ship.
Details of the repatriation were worked out with PCG-SF headed by Consul General Henry S. Bensurto Jr. in coordination with U.S. authorities and Carnival Cruise Corp.
Upon reaching the Philippines, the repatriates are to undergo a 14-day quarantine period at the Athlete’s Village in New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac under the full medical supervision of the Department of Health medical professionals.
Eager Filipino crew members and passengers board the buses that will take them to the airport for their trip back to the Philippines. CONTRIBUTED
As for Filipinos who were tested positive for COVID-19, the PCG-SF learned on March 13 from US authorities that they would be taken from the ship and given appropriate medical attention.
The assurance came after the Consulate earlier appealed to U.S. authorities to allow the Filipinos who tested positive for the virus to disembark and be given medical treatment in an appropriate facility inland.
The Philippine Department of Health reported that there were six Filipinos that tested positive for COVID-19.
Bensurto thanked the following for the successful repatriation: California Governor Gavin Newsom, Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis, state government of California, U.S. Department of State and its Office of Foreign Missions in San Francisco, led by Regional Director Clayton Stanger and Assistant Director Mr. Matthew Davis, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES), Director Mark Ghilarducci, San Francisco City and County Mayor London Breed, Oakland Mayor Elizabeth Libby Schaaf, Offices of Senator Dianne Feinstein, Representative Barbara Lee, Assemblymember Rob Bonta, Carnival Cruises Corp.’s Senior Vice President Michael Kaczmarek and Director for Maritime Security Ricardo Karakadze, Helen Lopez and Mr. Reggie Salvador of CalOES, Ann O’Leary and Ms. Priscilla Cheng of the California Governor’s Office, Senior Adviser to Mayor Breed Marjan Philhour, and Senior Protocol Officer of the San Francisco Mayor’s Office Natalie Waugh, Philippine government officials in Manila and Philippine Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez, and the Consulate General team.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Consulate announced that consular services will be suspended from 18 March to 12 April 2020, pursuant to the public address of President Rodrigo Duterte on the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on 12 March 2020, and the Declaration of Local Health Emergency by San Francisco Mayor London Breed.
As a result of the suspension, new appointments should be secured by applicants for passport, legal and notarial services, civil registration, dual citizenship, and visa applicants beginning 18 March onwards.
Civil registration and visa applicants are also strongly advised to refer to the Consulate’s website at https://www.philippinessanfrancisco.org/philippines-sf/home-sf/ for the list of requirements and send their application requirements by mail.
The Consulate will continue to accept applications for services on a case-to-case medical, death in the family and legal emergencies pertaining to court summons and subpoena emergency bases only.
Also, requests for the release of passports may also be accommodated during the said period of service suspension for those with emergency cases only.
Filipino repatriates were guided by a Philippine Consulate staff member before they disembark the Grand Princess on their final journey back to the Philippines. CONTRIBUTED
Their requests for an appointment with corresponding proof of emergency must be sent by email at [email protected].
Only emergency cases shall be accommodated by the Consulate from Monday to Friday, between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. only.
Applicants for non-emergency requests for legalization/acknowledgement services by Alaska and Utah residents are advised to secure instead Apostille Certificates from the Office of the State Secretary, or the Office of the Lieutenant Governor.
Dual citizenship applicants will also have their oath-taking ceremonies postponed indefinitely until such time the situation in the Bay Area is normalized.
Buses wait for the 444 Filipino passengers and crew to board before taking them to San Francisco International Airport. CONTRIBUTED
Announcement on its resumption and new schedule will be announced in the PCG-SF website.
Finally transactions with the Social Security System (SSS) may be accommodated by sending an email to [email protected] or [email protected] or by calling telephone number 415-757-0641.
The Consulate continues to appeal to the public to postpone their visit to the Consulate if their transactions are not urgent in order to minimize exposure to COVID-19.
