DFA brings home hundreds of virusaffected Filipinos

THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) repatriated 900 Filipinos in Maldives, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Saudi Arabia and Japan affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

The government repatriated 558 stranded Filipinos in Japan and Saudi Arabia, while 343 displaced Filipinos in Maldives, Sri Lanka and Singapore were brought home on Saturday.

Last week, the department facilitated the return of almost 10,000 overseas Filipino (OFs), which brought the total number of repatriated OFs to 68,440 since the DFA began its repatriation program in February 2020.

Of this number, 51.23 percent (35,059 OFs) were sea-based and 48.77 percent (33,381 OFs) were land-based.

The Foreign Affairs department also assisted in the return of 887 Filipinos from Kuwait and Oman.

Sea-based OFs from all over the world also continue to come home as the DFA welcomed repatriated seafarers from Panama, Costa Rica, Barbados, United Kingdom, Germany, Norway, Canada and Singapore this week.

The DFA also mounted on June 29 a chartered flight using its Assistance to Nationals Funds to bring home 183 stranded Filipinos, including three infants, and two cremated remains of OFWs from Phuket, Thailand.

The Philippines also opened the first “green lane” for seafarers in Asia through the signing of the Philippine Green Lane Joint Circular on July 2.

This will ensure that seafarers are accorded speedy and safe travel, subject to health protocols mandated by the Philippine government, including safe and swift disembarkation and crew change during the Covid-19 pandemic, the DFA said.