Filipinos from Diamond Princess start return trip home

On Tuesday, around 400 Filipinos who were on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan began their journey back to the Philippines.

Before disembarking, they underwent documentation and screening processes at the ship's theater.

The repatriation was initially scheduled for February 25 after coordination between the DOH, DFA, and Philippine embassy in Tokyo.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Locsin confirmed the Tuesday repatriation date despite a report of operational mistakes by Japanese authorities.

Japan apologized for mistakenly allowing passengers to leave before testing; those who tested positive were left behind on the ship.