The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on June 16 has chartered a Philippine Airlines flight to bring home 325 Filipino repatriates from the United Arab Emirates.
The repatriation flight was jointly coordinated by the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai, according to a statement.
The flight was made possible under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act.
“Of the total 325 OFWs in the repatriation flight, 129 came from Abu Dhabi and 196 from Dubai. Aside from carrying OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) who met difficulties during the pandemic, the flight also included medical patients and children,” the DFA said in a statement.
The DFA said Philippine officials had overseen the departure of the repatriates at the Dubai International Airport.
“They will be received upon arrival in NAIA by OUMWA-DFA, DSWD, OWWA and other agencies,” the statement added.
The Philippine government has extended the travel ban to seven countries including the UAE, Oman, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka until June 30.
This is the third time the travel ban has been extended in a bid to curb the entry of the more transmissible Delta variant first detected in India.
Early this month, an IATF resolution has allowed some overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from UAE, Oman, India and three other countries to return to the country despite the prevailing travel ban.
“Kailangan repatriation flights lang. All repatriation programs lang muna ang allowed,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a text message to The Filipino Times.
The IATF resolution states that Filipino repatriates, whether mounted by the Philippine government or private companies, will be allowed to enter the country despite the travel ban.
This also means that Filipinos from these countries who are travelling for vacation cannot also enter the country just yet.
All repatriates need to present a negative RT-PCR test result before their flights. They will also be subjected to a 14-day mandatory quarantine upon arrival.
