Coronavirus: Adelaide family stranded in Philippines begs for help

A young Australian family trapped in the Philippines fear for their lives and are “desperate for help” to get home to Adelaide.

A young Australian family trapped in the Philippines fear for their lives after the Filipino Government announced strict new measures amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Sofia and Nathan Digance travelled to Cebu in southern Philippines prior to the Australian Government issuing upgraded travel advice for overseas travel.

According to 7NEWS, the pair and their two young children Siri and George arrived in to the country in early March, and just five days later Manila was thrown into a month-long lockdown.

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A young Adelaide family is stuck in the Philippines and fear they won’t be able to get out.

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In a desperate bid to get home, the family of four booked the first flight they could out of the capital; however, it was cancelled even before Prime Minister Scott Morrison urged Aussies abroad to return home.

Now, the young family face the agonising and terrifying wait of how to get home safely.

“We are very scared and we are very stressed,” Mrs Digance said through tears when interviewed by the television network.

“We have been actively trying to get home since the 15th of March. Every day, hours on the phone … we have no end point to this. We have become really desperate for help.”

The Digances are the only family left staying at their hotel.

Mr Digance, who says he and his family are the only guests staying at their resort, fears they may be left out on the streets after the hotel said they’d only be able to stay for another week.

Mr Digance said he was concerned for his family’s safety after the country’s President Rodrigo Duterte gave a chilling warning to anyone within the Philippines ignoring the lockdown efforts: Defy the lockdown orders again and the police will shoot you dead.

The president of the Philippines has instructed military to shoot people if they break lockdown laws. Picture: Ezra Acayan/Getty Images

Fifty-seven million residents are in lockdown in the Philippines. Picture: Ezra Acayan/Getty Images.

“I will not hesitate. My orders are to the police and military, as well as village officials, if there is any trouble, or occasions where there’s violence and your lives are in danger, shoot them dead,” he said in a mix of Filipino and English in the televised address. “Do not intimidate the Government. Do not challenge the Government. You will lose.”

Mrs Digance’s mother, Joan Carlmark, said she feared mostly for the safety of Siri and George.

The military in the Philippines have been instructed to use force on anyone who doesn’t follow lockdown orders. Picture: Ezra Acayan/Getty Images.

“We really fear for the children and their safety and their health,” Mrs Carlmark told 7NEWS. “It’s really desperate now.”

According to Johns Hopkins, the Philippines has 3094 confirmed coronavirus cases and 144 deaths – significantly less than some other countries of comparable size.

On Saturday, a 63-year-old man was shot dead in the Philippines after threatening village officials and police with a scythe at a coronavirus checkpoint, Al Jazeera reports.

“The suspect was cautioned by a village health worker … for not wearing a face mask,” the report said. “But the suspect got angry, uttering provoking words and eventually attacked the personnel using a scythe.”

People can’t leave their homes except for essential trips. Picture: Ezra Acayan/Getty Images.

The suspect was shot dead by a police officer who was trying to pacify him.

The Philippines’ main island of Luzon has been under a month-long lockdown since March 16, prohibiting people from leaving their homes except for essential trips to the supermarket or pharmacy or if they are frontline workers.

Many areas outside of Luzon have implemented their own restrictions to stop the virus from spreading.

“Without these restrictions, this will not end,” Mr Duterte warned on Friday.

“So if you don’t want to follow, then I will finish you to protect the lives of the innocent who don’t want to die.”