Philippine govt ready to help Filipinos affected by coronavirus surge in China

THE Philippine government is on top of the situation to ensure the safety of Filipinos in China amid the reported surge in Covid-19 infections in one of the world's most populous nations, Philippine Ambassador to China Jaime Florcruz said.

In an interview on Wednesday, Florcruz said the Philippine Embassy in China is ready to provide assistance to Filipinos who will be affected by the spike in Covid-19 cases.

“Tuluy-tuloy naman po ang pagtulong ng gobyerno sa kung sinuman ang nangangailangan [The government will continue to provide assistance to anyone],” he said.

“Nandiyan ang embassy na tumutulong sa kung sinuman ang may kailangan. At ina-advise sila na mag-ingat hangga’t kaya [The embassy is there to help everyone who is in need of assistance. And they were told to be careful as much as possible],” Florcruz added.

To date, there are an estimated 14,000 members of the Filipino community in China, Florcruz said.

A “high-level” meeting between World Health Organization (WHO) and Chinese officials was held on Dec. 30, 2022 to get further information about Covid-19 situation in China.

During the meeting, officials from China’s National Health Commission and the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration briefed WHO on the Chinese government’s Covid-19 pandemic response.

WHO, on the other hand, asked for regular sharing of “specific and real-time” Covid-19 data.

Covid-19 cases ‘under control’

FLORCRUZ said the Covid-19 situation in China “seems to be under control.”

Despite this, he advised the Filipino community in China to stay cautious and follow the health protocols.

“Kumakalat pa rin sa buong China

kaya maingat pa rin ang mga tao. Advice

sa mga tao na mag-mask pa rin, umiwas sam al ala king crowds pero in a-advise na sila to live with Covid [It’s still spreading to other parts of China, that’s why the people here remain careful. The advice to the public is to continue wearing mask, avoid large crowds, and live with Covid],” Florcruz said.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday flew to China for a three-day state visit.