MANILA, Philippines — If it were up to Senate President Vicente Sotto III, it would be much safer for Filipinos in Wuhan, China to stay there rather than face discrimination here in the Philippines.

Sotto first posted his sentiments on social networking site Twitter on Friday, as government expressed readiness to repatriate Filipinos from Wuhan in Hubei province as well as in other parts of China struck by the novel coronavirus outbreak.

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“Isn’t it safer to stay put, stay safe in their homes there instead of being discriminated here?” Sotto tweeted.

“It’s better (and) safer for them to stay in lock down there rather than come home and be discriminated upon by authorities and even their relatives,” he said in a separate message to reporters.

Around 50 Filipinos in Hubei province, mostly from Wuhan City, have so far expressed desire to return to the Philippines as the death toll in China climbed to over 200 due to novel coronavirus, while the number of infected has reached over 9,000.

Citing estimates from the Philippine Consulate General in Shanghai, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Eduardo Meñez said there are around 300 Filipino in Hubei province, with 150 in Wuhan City, which is the epicenter of the virus outbreak.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said it will start repatriating Filipinos in China, mostly from Wuhan, next week.

On Thursday, the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed the first case of novel coronavirus in the Philippines.

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Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said a 38-year-old Chinese woman, who arrived in the Philippines through a flight from Hong Kong last week, tested positive for novel coronavirus, which first broke out in the capital city of Wuhan in Hubei province.

President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered a temporary ban on Chinese nationals from Hubei province and from other parts of China where the spread of the novel coronavirus has been reported.

EDV

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