SIXTY-eight more Filipino seafarers returned home yesterday as part of the third batch of cabin crew of the ill-fated Costa Concordia luxury cruise ship that sanks off an island in Italy.
About 10:00 a.m., Filipino survivors arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Cathay Pacific Airways flight CX 907.
Two batches of cruise ship survivors from the Concordia arrived home 10:30 a.m. last Thursday composed of 32 Filipino seamen on Cathay Airways flight from Hong Kong and followed by 68 others at 12.30 pm from Bangkok via Thai Airways flight TG620.
On Saturday, the remaining survivors, including three injured seamen who were recuperating in an Italian hospital, are scheduled to come home via Cathay Pacific Airlines early flight.
One of the survivors Gilda Gido, a 30-year-old lady seafarer from Pasay City, said that before abandoning ship, they helped foreign passengers board their life boats and gave them life jackets to assure their safety.
She said that she had survived two other sea accidents on board vessels owned by the same company, Costa Crociere S.p.A., Europe’s largest cruise ship operator based in Genoa.
Costa Crociere has a total of 25 ships in active service.
“When the lights went out, I knew that something was amiss and immediately, without fanfare or panic, I assembled and organized ourselves in groups in one of the designated rooms for emergencies---as we were trained to do,” Gido said.
Published : Wednesday May 23, 2012 | Category : OFW | Views : 77
By : Itchie G. Cabayan
ALFREDO Salmos, the overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Saudi Arabia who was electrocuted in 2010, is finally home. Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) media affairs division head Ma. Connie Bungag said Salmos arrived from Jeddah 12:50 p.m. at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1. Salmos’ family expressed gratitude... Read more
Published : Thursday May 17, 2012 | Category : OFW | Views : 291
By : Jun Pisco
AN overseas Filipino worker in Saudi Arabia who was electrocuted in 2010 is set to come home in the next few weeks. Vice President Jejomar C. Binay said Alfredo Salmos suffered severe injuries and was unable to work since the accident. “I am pleased to announce that our kababayan, Mr.... Read more
Published : Sunday May 06, 2012 | Category : OFW | Views : 547
MAKAKAUWI na rin ng bansa si Alfredo Salmos, 52, tubong-Nueva Ecija, na mistulang isang buhay na patay ngayon sa Saudi Arabia. Nalapnos ang kanyang katawan at nagdikit ang kanyang baba at leeg matapos makuryente sa isang aksidente habang nagtatrabaho bilang technician sa Jeddah. Puspusan ang tulong ng tanggapan ni Vice President... Read more
Published : Saturday May 05, 2012 | Category : OFW | Views : 548
FIFTY-FIVE stranded overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Papua New Guinea have been sent home, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday. In a report to the DFA, the Philippine Embassy in Port Moresby said the stranded OFWs were expected to arrive in Manila yesterday from Manus, Papua New Guinea. Philippine... Read more
Published : Thursday May 03, 2012 | Category : OFW | Views : 462
By : Joel dela Torre
THE Overseas Workers and Welfare Administration has turned on its social networking site to further monitor situations and working status of overseas Filipino workers. OWWA Advocacy and Social Marketing Division head Reynaldo Tayag said that they will open both their Twitter and Facebook accounts to have a better relationship with... Read more
