No coronavirus infections among Pinoys in Morocco

While no Filipino was diagnosed with the disease, some workers have been displaced due to the lockdown and have sought assistance for repatriation, Cervantes said. (Pixabay photo)

MANILA – No Filipinos in Morocco have been infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), Charges d’ affaires to Rabat Maria Agnes Cervantes reported Tuesday.

Cervantes said as soon as local transmission was reported in the kingdom, the government immediately declared a state of emergency and implemented mobility restrictions.

“Our nationals followed the health procedures prescribed by the government of Morocco so as of now we have not received any report yet that a Filipino has contracted Covid-19,” she said in a Laging Handa briefing.

Initial mapping revealed that there are around 1,000 Filipinos in Morocco but Cervantes estimated this may reach at least 4,500 once survey is completed.

The profile of Filipino workers there are varied, with some working as highly and semi-skilled employees while others are working as household service workers.

While no Filipino was diagnosed with the disease, some workers have been displaced due to the lockdown and have sought assistance for repatriation, Cervantes said.

“Maliit lang ang kanilang (It’s a small) number compared to the total number of Filipinos in Morocco,” she added.

Cervantes said the Philippine embassy in Rabat opened in 2019, an addition to the new posts of the Department of Foreign Affairs abroad.

“We look at Morocco as an important partner of the Philippines in North Africa… Our government thought of opening an embassy in Rabat because we consider Morocco as an important member in the African Union,” she said.