Over 600 Pinoy seafarers arrived in Philippines on Monday —DFA

More than 600 Filipino seafarers were welcomed by the Department of Foreign Affairs when they arrived on Monday at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the DFA said.

The first batch of 306 crew arrived from Norway at 4 p.m.

A total of 306 Filipino seafarers of Viking Cruises from Norway will soon be reunited with their loved ones. The DFA credits another successful repatriation to the strong Bayanihan spirit that unites us in these challenging times. pic.twitter.com/hoKY9iWcuC

— DFA Philippines (@DFAPHL) June 8, 2020

They were met by DFA and other government officials as well as representatives of the seafarers' local manning agencies Magsaysay Maritime Corporation, Wilhelmsen-Smith Bell Manning, Inc. and Multinational Maritime Inc.

The seafarers were repatriated through the efforts of Viking Cruises and the Philippine Embassy in Oslo.

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The second batch of 329 seafarers who served as crew of the Liberty of the Seas arrived from the US an hour later at 5 p.m. 

@teddyboylocsin#DFAinAction#WeHealAsOne pic.twitter.com/mUoSF1Jtj4

— DFA Philippines (@DFAPHL) June 8, 2020

They were also met by DFA officials, other government officials and by representatives of their manning agency RCCL Crew Management Inc.

The crew were repatriated through the efforts of Royal Carribean Cruises and the Philippine Embassy in Washington, DC.

All the repatriated overseas Filipino workers went through medical protocols and will undergo 14-day quarantine as directed by the Department of Health-Bureau of Quarantine.

One hundred fifty Filipino seafarers from Norway meanwhile arrived on Sunday at NAIA.

(1/2) A total of 150 Filipino seafarers of various bulk and cargo vessels from Norway landed safely in NAIA this Sunday. pic.twitter.com/jnvF6z4w0z

— DFA Philippines (@DFAPHL) June 7, 2020

On Saturday, the DFA also welcomed 345 Filipino repatriates who arrived at Clark International Airport from Barbados. They were crew members of Royal Carribean Cruise Lines.

Other OFWs also arrived on Saturday from United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong and Nigeria.

(1/2) Yesterday, DFA-OUMWA welcomed a total of 1,320 returning overseas Filipinos from UAE, Hong Kong, Barbados, and Nigeria. pic.twitter.com/Xba816gFfd

— DFA Philippines (@DFAPHL) June 7, 2020

DFA Undersecretary Sarah Arriola on Monday said 36,731 OFWs have been repatriated as of June 7, Sunday, most of them sea-based workers employed in cruise ships.

At the Laging Handa briefing, Arriola said 22,198 of the repatriated OFWs are sea-based workers and 14,533 are land-based.

Some 30,000 to 35,000 more sea-based workers need to be repatriated, she said.

The official said the DFA does not distinguish between documented and undocumented workers in its repatriation operations.

The DFA said last March it is ready to assist Filipino seafarers who might be repatriated given the spread of COVID-19. —KG, GMA News