Number of coronavirus-afflicted Filipinos in Japan cruise ship rises to 11

MANILA - The number of Filipinos confirmed to have contracted the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) while on board a quarantined cruise ship moored off Japan has climbed to 11, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Thursday.

All of the Filipinos who got the virus are crew members of Diamond Princess, Foreign Affairs Secretary Eduardo Meñez said in a text message to ABS-CBN News.

"All of them are now confined in various hospitals in and around the Tokyo area," the agency said in a statement, adding they are responding well to treatment.

The Philippine Embassy in Tokyo has sent supplies to the patients and also those still quarantined inside the ship.

"An embassy team also visited the hospitals this afternoon to speak with the doctors and social workers assigned to the Filipino patients in order to ensure their well-being," the agency added.

The ship has been kept in quarantine since Feb. 3 after a passenger, who disembarked in Hong Kong, was found to be infected with the virus.

Passengers are expected to stay until Feb. 19, 14 days after the isolation period began.


A Filipino crew member of the ship was among 10 people who earlier tested positive of the new coronavirus. The sailor was the first known case of a Filipino infected with COVID-19.

Also on Thursday, Japanese authorities confirmed that another 44 people inside the ship tested positive of the virus.

They raise the number of infections detected on the ship to 218, in addition to a quarantine officer who also tested positive for the virus.

Of the newly diagnosed cases, 43 are passengers, and one a member of the crew.

So far, 713 people have been tested, with officials saying they are currently limited by capacity. The ship carries an estimated 3,600 passengers.

The DFA also clarified that "no Filipinos [were] included in a new group of 44 persons who tested positive for the virus." - with a report from Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News

source: news.abs-cbn.com

No Filipino casualty in Belgium shooting, DFA says

MANILA - The Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday said no Filipino was hurt in a suspected terror attack in Belgium, as it sympathized with the European nation over the incident.

Earlier in the day, a gunman shot dead 2 police officersbefore killing a bystander in the Belgian city of Liège, about 100 kilometers south of the capital, Brussels.

"We condole with the Government of Belgium and the Belgian people and stand in solidarity with them," Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said in a statement.

The Philippine Embassy in Brussels reported no Filipinos were among the casualties in the carnage. About 100 Filipinos live in Liège, it said.

A terrorist investigation was launched into the incident, which came as Belgium was on high alert after a string of attacks including twin suicide bombings in Brussels in 2016 claimed by the Islamic State group.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

7 Pinoy students survive West Virginia's worst flooding

Seven Filipino students were among the hundreds affected by the flooding that left 24 dead and hundreds homeless in West Virgina, U.S. last week, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Monday.

DFA Charles Jose confirmed that the students were on-the-job trainees from the De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB).

Jose said the Philippine Embassy in Washington evacuated the students to a safer area after floods swept the house where they were staying.

 DLS-CSB students said the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC has reached out to them for assistance pic.twitter.com/CMFYZo9P1F — Jeff Canoy (@jeffcanoy) June 27, 2016
 
Before this, the group sought shelter at a cave near the resort, according to a report from ABS-CBN's Umagang Kay Ganda.

ABS-CBN's Jeff Canoy also reported that the students lost all their belongings, including passports and other travel documents in the flood.

DLS-CSB students among those who survived the historic floods; They're in #WestVirginia for an internship program pic.twitter.com/ahHq9oHzQD

— Jeff Canoy (@jeffcanoy) June 26, 2016

Jose said they continue coordinating with DLS-CSB authorities to help the seven students.

The DFA spokesperson said there were no reports of other Filipinos affected by the flooding.

U.S. President Barack Obama has declared a major disaster for West Virginia and ordered federal aid to affected individuals in Kanawha, Greenbrier and Nicholas counties.

A Reuters report said up to 10 inches (25.4 cm) of rain fell on Thursday in the mountainous state, sending torrents of water from rivers and streams through homes and causing widespread devastation.

Devastating scenes in White Sulphur Springs. At least 24 dead in flood-hit #WestVirginia @ABSCBNNews pic.twitter.com/oxUwFil7Ey


 — Jeff Canoy (@jeffcanoy) June 26, 2016
 
West Virginia's death toll from flooding is the highest for any U.S. state this year.

The state is home to some 3,000 Filipino expatriates. -- With a report from Jeff Canoy, ABS-CBN News

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Court rejects 2nd appeal of Mary Jane

YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia - An Indonesian court on Monday rejected the second appeal for judicial review of Filipino Mary Jane Veloso, who is set to be executed Tuesday after being convicted of drug trafficking.

Edre Olalia, secretary general of the National Union of People's Lawyers, said he received a report from his colleagues that the court has rejected the second appeal.

"I was informed by some of my colleagues reportedly...that the second judicial review has been denied by the court but I need to check it out...on the accuracy of the report," he said in an interview on ANC's Top Story.

He said if the report is accurate, then the political approach or the plea for clemency by Philippine leaders will be the only approach left to save the life of Veloso.

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesman Charles Jose said the Philippine embassy in Jakarta has confirmed that the second appeal of Veloso has been rejected.

Jose said that according to Sleman District Court, the second appeal was denied based on a Supreme Court rule that only one appeal is allowed.

He said the embassy is now asking Indonesia if the discussions of President Aquino with Indonesian President Joko Widodo this morning "may open another window."

Veloso was arrested after authorities found 2.6 kilograms of heroin sewn into her suitcase at the Yogyakarta Airport in 2010. Her lawyers and family have said Mary Jane was unaware that the drug stash was in her bag.

Aquino met with Widodo on Monday to appeal the case of Veloso.

The meeting happened past 10 am Monday in a pull-aside meeting during the plenary session of the 26th ASEAN Summit. The meeting lasted around five minutes.

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said Widodo showed sympathy when Aquino first raised the issue.

“President Aquino appealed for humanitarian consideration for Mary Jane Veloso who was apparently duped into being an unwitting carrier of illegal drugs. He said President Widodo was sympathetic and was consulting with the Indonesian Attorney General on the legal issues. President Widodo promised to resume the conversation with President Aquino later today,” Coloma said.

In a separate press conference, Jose expressed hope the ASEAN connection will somehow provide a leeway for Veloso. “That’s what we are hoping for in the diplomatic approach that we are initiating.”

Veloso may be executed at 5 p.m. on April 28. - with a report from Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Why Jinggoy's son has diplomatic passport

MANILA  - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has confirmed that Jose Luis "Jolo" Ejercito, son of Senator Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada, has been issued a diplomatic passport.

DFA spokesman Charles Jose said according to DFA regulations, spouses and unmarried minor children are entitled to diplomatic passports of those principals who are entitled to diplomatic passports.

"So their spouses and unmarried minor children who will accompany them on official travel are entitled. Only official travel. So pursuant to that regulation, the son of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada was issued a diplomatic passport because he was 18 years old at the time when he was given one and now he's already 21," he said.

Jose said Estrada's son can't use the diplomatic passport for unofficial or personal travel.

"Hindi travel on his own. It should be official travel and travel with the principal. Official mission dapat and kasama yung principal," he said.

"This is how the diplomatic passports and official passports work. Valid siya on a per travel basis. So it will not be valid for use kung hindi sya revalidated by the DFA. For it to be revalidated, the requesting office for example should submit a travel order approved by their principal. So kung hindi revalidated, hindi papayagan ng immigration na makalabas regardless kung valid sya sa year," he added.

The issue of Ejercito's diplomatic passport was the subject of a viral blog post that came out after the senator's surrender and subsequent detention at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center.

The blog said Jolo Ejercito can no longer be issued a diplomatic passport because he is no longer a minor.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Pinay caregivers stand by wards amid Gaza strikes

ISRAEL - Filipina caregivers at the Israeli-Gaza border will remain loyal to their wards should ceasefire breaks down and hostilities begin anew.

For the first time, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) rapid response team and ABS-CBN Middle East were able to talk to the caregivers living at the border.

From Tel Aviv, it took the team more than two hours to reach the Kibbutz Community Center near the Gaza border.

With the ceasefire on, the DFA rapid response team took the opportunity to visit six Filipina caregivers based at the house for the old within the gated Kibbutz Village.

A native of Ilocos Sur, Sinamar Jimenez has been working as a caregiver for the past 15 years in Israel.

She lamented having seen and witnessed so many bombings and armed conflicts in the past including the Iran-Iraq war in the late 90s.

But Jimenez readily admits the recent bombings at the Gaza border were the most life-threatening and perilous.

“Super po yung ingay,” she said.

Bicolana Rosalinda Remiter has been a caregiver for nine years whose ward is already 90.

Remiter showed the visiting team some cracks on the wall inside their room brought about by powerful explosions.

She can only manage to embrace her ward once the siren wails and followed by loud explosions.

“Sabi ng anak iwanan mo na nanay ko pag ganyan na. Sabi ko di ko maiwan, niyakap ko na lang. Sabi ko bahala na yakapin ko na lang di ko mabuhat. Sabi ko bahala na ang panginoon kung kami ay matatamaan,” she said.

At the height of the bombings, relatives in Manila would not stop calling and texting both Jimenez and Remiter, urging them to leave the border.

With limited space inside the bunker room, they had to carry and lift their wards to safety.

Should the ceasefire break down and hostilities resume, Jimenez and Remiter will remain with their wards.

“Babantayan ko pa rin po siya kasi di naman kami pinapabayaan ng mga amo naming,” said Jimenez.

Kibbutz is barely two kilometers away from Gaza which received 1,500 air missile attacks from Israel.

Many structures inside the community center were hit by mortar fire and some animals flat dead.

Near Kibbutz is the Erez border which Israel army just opened to motorists to allow entry into Gaza.

The DFA response team also visited Richon-le Zion where a Hamas rocket missile found its way into a residential condominium building, but fortunately no one was killed or injured.

source: abs-cbnnews.com

Three Pinoy high school students to compete in ASEAN quiz

Three Filipino high school students will represent the Philippines in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Quiz Regional Competition in Cambodia, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Friday.

In a statement, the DFA said the three participants -- from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao -- topped the national leg of the quiz contest on January 25 at the People’s Television Network (PTV-4) in Quezon City.

Franchesca Anne Inacay, a third year high school student at St. Albert the Great School of Dagupan City (Ilocos Region), emerged as the first prize winner of the competition.

Following her were Krystianne Paul de Pedro of Koronadal National Comprehensive High School (South Cotabato) and Ma. Angela Krizelle Rubin of San Joaquin National High School (Calbayog City, Samar).

The DFA said the three winners will compete in the regional leg this August, together with “representatives from the nine other ASEAN Member States.”

The ASEAN Cultural Fund will shoulder the team’s round-trip airfare and board and lodging, the DFA added. - RJMD, VVP, GMA News

source:gmanetwork.com

Pinay nurses in Austria lauded for contribution to healthcare

Austrian Federal Minister for Labor, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection Rudolf Hundstorfer praised Filipino nurses in Austria for their “very important contribution” to their host country’s healthcare system.

In his remarks during the 10th anniversary of the Philippine Nurses Association Austria on December 3, Hundstorfer "thanked the Filipino nurses in Austria for their very important contribution to the country’s healthcare system," the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

Hundstorfer noted that a good healthcare system was "one of the criteria in the 2011 Quality of Living survey set by the global consulting firm Mercer in choosing Vienna as the best place to live in the world for three consecutive years,” the DFA said.

Hundstorfer and Philippine Ambassador Lourdes Yparraguirre were the special guests at the event.

Yparraguirre lauded the nurses for their “hard work, high skills and dedication” that helped open the gates for other nurses from the Philippines to go to Austria.

“Under a bilateral agreement, Filipino nurses came to Austria, first in trickle, then in groups. In virtually every corner of this country, there is nothing but praise for Filipino nurses. And many Austrians who have never heard of the Philippines learn about us through the most positive examples - you! Our nurses overseas are truly some of the best ambassadors of the Filipino people,” she said.

She likewise highlighted the recognition awarded by the City of Vienna to Filipino and Filipino-Austrian nurses and caregivers for their long years of dedicated services to the health sector of Austria.

The DFA said there are about 30,000 Filipino-Austrians in Austria. - VVP, GMA News

source:gmanetwork.com