The 38 Filipino seafarers and cruise ship workers quarantined in the Netherlands due to health concerns over hantavirus will be released on June 18 after completing a 40-day isolation period, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) confirmed.
All tested negative and showed no signs of infection throughout their stay.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the long quarantine prompted officials to ask the seafarers what comforts they wanted to feel more at home.
“Our seafarers want rice because it is not common in Europe. So, our ambassador and labor attaché gave them rice,” he explained.
But beyond rice, the crew also requested Filipino snacks — chips or chichirya — as their “pasalubong” before returning home.
“Rice is life for Filipinos, but chichirya is lifer,” Cacdac quipped, noting that the snacks helped lift spirits during the long isolation.
“Forty days of quarantine is not a joke. So as much as possible, we cheer them up, make them feel at home, and most of all, make them feel supported by the government,” he added.
After their release, the Department of Health (DOH) will take over health protocols to ensure safe repatriation.
Dutch authorities and the shipowner, Oceanwide Expeditions, confirmed that all 38 crew members remained asymptomatic, tested negative, and will receive full compensation during and after quarantine. (Aaron Recuenco)
