The repatriation was initiated by the 95 Indonesians themselves, and the Indonesian Embassy in Manila assisted them in completing the formalities, the embassy said in a press statement that ANTARA received in Jakarta on Thursday.
The chartered aircraft left Manila at 02.25 p.m. local time. The Indonesian nationals were affected by the Philippine Government's lockdown policy and were keen to return home, but they faced problems due to the absence of regular flights from Manila to Jakarta.
The Indonesian Embassy in Manila stepped in to assist their repatriation by involving the Indonesian Diaspora Network (IDN) in the Philippine capital.
Thirty-two of the 95 returnees were members of the Jamaah Tabligh congregation, while 21 others were students at Marinduque's pilot training school, and the remaining 42 were Indonesian permanent residents in the Philippines, the embassy said.
All the returnees were in good health and had obtained health certificates from the Philippines authorities.
The assistance provided by the Indonesian Embassy in Manila was part of the government's commitment to protecting Indonesian citizens abroad.
The Air Asia aircraft that carried the 95 Indonesians back home on Thursday had previously flown 22 Philippine citizens from Jakarta to their country.
This could be done thanks to the cooperation of the Indonesian Embassy in Manila and the Philippines Embassy in Jakarta.
Coronavirus infections initially emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of 2019. Since then, COVID-19 has spread to at least 202 countries and territories, including the Philippines and Indonesia, with a massive spurt in death toll.
The Indonesian Government officially confirmed the country's first cases on March 2 this year.
To contain the spread of the coronavirus disease, it has enforced large-scale social restrictions and distancing measures in many cities, including Jakarta, Bogor, Bekasi, Surabaya, and Makassar.
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Translator: Yuni AS, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Sri Haryati
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