The Filipino crew of M/V Olympic docked in the Manila Bay Anchorage area is now asking for help, where 1 in 15 Filipino crew who tested positive for COVID-19 has passed away.
A Liberian-registered cargo vessel with Filipino crews on its way to China to deliver its cargo of coal from Indonesia is now docked.
Story of one of the ship’s crew, alias Eric, 21 of them are all M/V Olympic crew.
He said they were forced to go straight to the Philippines after they were not accepted at the port in China after 15 of their colleagues, all Filipinos, tested positive for COVID-19. Sadly, one of them had already died on the ship.
“Noong nasa China kami, [nagpa-swab] kami ng [August] 18. Hindi na siya makababa, pinuntahan na lang siya sa cabin tapos 18 ng gabi hirap na siyang huminga tapos umaga ng 19 around 6 a.m. iyon declared nang patay na,” said Eric.
Their ship arrived in the country on August 23, but they have no quarantine facility so far.
“Ang advise ng quarantine officer ang kasamahan namin sa bosun kailangan maospital. Tapos ang nangyari sabi nila 25 kami pi-pick-upin na bababa rito. Kasi ang initial plan 13 kami na bababa muna tapos iyong iba naghihintay ng kapalit. Itong agency namin sige lang sila paasa . . . Ang dinadahilan nila, iyong hotel daw na kukunin sa amin umaayaw daw,” said Eric.
Eric is now appealing for help from the government for their safety.
Filipino crew on M/V Olympic docked in Manila Bay ask for help
“Ang gusto sanang mangyari makababa kami para mabigyan kami ng medical assistance kasi mula dumating kami dito wala pa kaming . . . Kumbaga puro sariling sikap lang kami dito. As soon as possible, makababa kami,” said Eric.
In a text message from Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, he said that he had already talked to the representative of M/V Olympic.
He said they would contact the Bureau of Quarantine to transfer our fellow crews to hotels.
“Sir, nakausap ko po ang owner’s representative ng M/V Olympic dito po sa PHL. Ang crew po na 12 na positive need a (Bureau of Quarantine) certified hotel for COVID positives, so we will coordinate po with BOQ right now po to bring them po to a hotel. Yung isa daw pong crew ay sa china po namatay dahil hindi po pinababa ng chinese authorities mula sa barko noong nalaman po na covid positive sya. We will communicate with the families of all crew po to assure them of our assistance,” said Bello.
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