(Eagle News)–Over 8,000 Filipinos abroad were repatriated by the Department of Foreign Affairs last week.
The DFA said with the 8831 more repatriated, the total number of repatriated overseas Filipinos rose to 254,785 since the start of repatriation efforts amid the COVID-19 pandemic in February.
The department said more than 87 percent or 7,715 of this week’s repatriates arrived from the Middle East.
Over 600, or 611, overseas Filipinos meanwhile came home from the Asia Pacific, 503 from Europe, and two from the Americas.
This week, the DFA said it chartered a Philippine Airlines flight to Guangzhou, China which brought home 86 distressed overseas Filipinos from various regions.
“Our Philippine Embassy in Beijing and our Consulates General in Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Xiamen worked seamlessly to get the repatriates in their respective jurisdictions to Guangzhou, China where they boarded the chartered flight,” the DFA said.
The DFA said the repatriation flight arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Nov. 11.
The department also assisted 151 Filipino deportees from Malaysia who landed in Zamboanga City this Thursday.
Three overseas Filipinos with chronic illness were also medically repatriated from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Oman.
The department said it also helped in the return of overseas Filipinos from Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Vietnam, and Japan.
On Monday, Nov. 16, the department said around 370 Filipinos from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Dili, Timor-Leste are scheduled to arrive on board two DFA-chartered flights.
The DFA said another 90,000 Filipinos are expected to be repatriated before the end of the year.
“The DFA remains fully committed to safely bringing home our (overseas Filipinos) from anywhere in the world amid the ongoing pandemic,” it said.
