Go: Gov't ready to send planes to fetch Filipinos in Wuhan
Published Feb 1, 2020 12:00 am
By Mario Casayuran
Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go said on Saturday that the Duterte administration is ready to deploy aircraft to ensure the safe return of Filipinos in Wuhan, China who have signified their intention to go home amid the 2019 novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019-nCoV ARD) outbreak.
Sen. Bong Go
(PRIB Photo by Joseph Vidal/ 14 November 2019) Go, chairman of the Senate health committee, said the government will exhaust all its efforts to ensure the safety of at least 40 Filipinos currently in Wuhan and bring them to the Philippines next week "once the Chinese government gives its go signal to Philippine authorities.’’ He said the administration takes the threat of the 2019-nCoV ARD outbreak seriously and that President Rodrigo Duterte is in constant communication with key officials who are currently assessing the country’s situation and readiness as far as the outbreak is concerned. “We will do what is needed to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. Rest assured that the Duterte administration takes this threat seriously. I am appealing to the public to cooperate with authorities in order to ensure the safety of everyone,” he said. Go also mentioned that the Philippine government could start their repatriation next week once given permission by the Chinese government. The senator from Davao emphasized that the priority of the Duterte administration is the safety of all Filipinos, here and abroad. "The government is committed to securing Filipinos who are at risk in areas affected by the virus, but at the same time, ensure that those in the country will not be put at risk,’’ he said. “Dadaan po sila sa 14-day quarantine period and we will impose necessary measures to ensure na hindi kumalat sa bansa natin ang coronavirus,” he explained. (Once in the Philippines, the returning Filipinos will undergo a 14-day quarantine period …to ensure that the coronavirus will not spread.) “Interes po ng bawat Pilipino palagi ang mangunguna, kapakanan po ninyo lalung-lalo na po ‘yung kalusugan ninyo ang ating main concern,” he added. (The interest of the Filipino people comes first; your welfare, particularly your health, is our main concern.) Go said the government already put in place measures to prevent the spread of 2019-nCoV ARD, even before the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed the first case in the Philippines. He said he suggested to President Duterte a temporary travel ban on travelers from Wuhan City and the entire Hubei Province as a safety precaution against the spread of the virus in the country. Go was a former special assistant to Duterte before running successfully for the 24-member Senate. “Nagkausap kami ni Pangulong Duterte para proteksyunan ang ating mga kababayan sa pagkalat ng virus, at sumang-ayon naman si Pangulo na i-implementa kaagad ang temporary travel ban sa mga manggagaling sa Wuhan City at entire Hubei,” he said. (I talked to President Duterte about protecting our countrymen from the spread of the virus, and he agreed to immediately implement a temporary travel ban on those coming from Wuhan city and the entire Hubei province.) Go said he also suggested, and is currently studying, the possibility of imposing a temporary ban on travelers from other affected areas with confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV ARD. “We are not discounting the possibility of temporarily banning the travel of those from other areas also affected by the coronavirus,” he said. Upon the recommendation of Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III, the President earlier issued a travel ban on Chinese nationals and all travelers coming from the Hubei province of China where the novel coronavirus originated, as well from other places in China where the disease has spread, as officially confirmed by the Chinese government. "This travel ban should last until there is no more threat to the health and welfare of our people. I support this and other necessary measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country,” Go said. Go also recommended, as a precautionary measure, the implementation of a 14-day quarantine period on those traveling from other parts of China not covered yet by the temporary travel ban, while authorities are still studying the possibility of imposing a temporary travel ban on all passengers coming from China, if necessary. He said a Senate hearing will be conducted on Tuesday next week to discuss and lay down necessary measures to protect Filipinos from the 2019-nCoV ARD. Concerned government officials and health experts on infectious diseases were invited to discuss the matter.
Sen. Bong Go(PRIB Photo by Joseph Vidal/ 14 November 2019) Go, chairman of the Senate health committee, said the government will exhaust all its efforts to ensure the safety of at least 40 Filipinos currently in Wuhan and bring them to the Philippines next week "once the Chinese government gives its go signal to Philippine authorities.’’ He said the administration takes the threat of the 2019-nCoV ARD outbreak seriously and that President Rodrigo Duterte is in constant communication with key officials who are currently assessing the country’s situation and readiness as far as the outbreak is concerned. “We will do what is needed to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. Rest assured that the Duterte administration takes this threat seriously. I am appealing to the public to cooperate with authorities in order to ensure the safety of everyone,” he said. Go also mentioned that the Philippine government could start their repatriation next week once given permission by the Chinese government. The senator from Davao emphasized that the priority of the Duterte administration is the safety of all Filipinos, here and abroad. "The government is committed to securing Filipinos who are at risk in areas affected by the virus, but at the same time, ensure that those in the country will not be put at risk,’’ he said. “Dadaan po sila sa 14-day quarantine period and we will impose necessary measures to ensure na hindi kumalat sa bansa natin ang coronavirus,” he explained. (Once in the Philippines, the returning Filipinos will undergo a 14-day quarantine period …to ensure that the coronavirus will not spread.) “Interes po ng bawat Pilipino palagi ang mangunguna, kapakanan po ninyo lalung-lalo na po ‘yung kalusugan ninyo ang ating main concern,” he added. (The interest of the Filipino people comes first; your welfare, particularly your health, is our main concern.) Go said the government already put in place measures to prevent the spread of 2019-nCoV ARD, even before the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed the first case in the Philippines. He said he suggested to President Duterte a temporary travel ban on travelers from Wuhan City and the entire Hubei Province as a safety precaution against the spread of the virus in the country. Go was a former special assistant to Duterte before running successfully for the 24-member Senate. “Nagkausap kami ni Pangulong Duterte para proteksyunan ang ating mga kababayan sa pagkalat ng virus, at sumang-ayon naman si Pangulo na i-implementa kaagad ang temporary travel ban sa mga manggagaling sa Wuhan City at entire Hubei,” he said. (I talked to President Duterte about protecting our countrymen from the spread of the virus, and he agreed to immediately implement a temporary travel ban on those coming from Wuhan city and the entire Hubei province.) Go said he also suggested, and is currently studying, the possibility of imposing a temporary ban on travelers from other affected areas with confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV ARD. “We are not discounting the possibility of temporarily banning the travel of those from other areas also affected by the coronavirus,” he said. Upon the recommendation of Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III, the President earlier issued a travel ban on Chinese nationals and all travelers coming from the Hubei province of China where the novel coronavirus originated, as well from other places in China where the disease has spread, as officially confirmed by the Chinese government. "This travel ban should last until there is no more threat to the health and welfare of our people. I support this and other necessary measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country,” Go said. Go also recommended, as a precautionary measure, the implementation of a 14-day quarantine period on those traveling from other parts of China not covered yet by the temporary travel ban, while authorities are still studying the possibility of imposing a temporary travel ban on all passengers coming from China, if necessary. He said a Senate hearing will be conducted on Tuesday next week to discuss and lay down necessary measures to protect Filipinos from the 2019-nCoV ARD. Concerned government officials and health experts on infectious diseases were invited to discuss the matter.