Some 348 stranded overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from the United Arab Emirates have arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Thursday, July 1.
In a Facebook post, DFA Undersecretary Sarah Lou Arriola said that more repatriation flights will be mounted by the Philippine government this month.
“Alhamdulillah! They are home. PR 8659 from Dubai just landed at NAIA with 348 passengers including 1 stretcher case and 108 pregnant women,” Arriola said in a post.
Arriola added that they are mounting 4 more repatriation flights in July.
“The DFA will continue chartering repatriation flights for UAE on July 12,17, 29 and 31. Message us at OFW Help or email us at [email protected] if you wish to join any of these flights,” Arriola said.
The DFA official said that the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration or OWWA is also mounting another repatriation flight on July 10.
There will be a break in repatriation from July 19-24 due to holidays.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque appealed for patience from overseas Filipino workers in seven countries, including the UAE, due to the extended travel ban.
President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the extension of the ban to UAE, Oman, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka until July 15.
Roque appeals for understanding as all these parts of its proactive efforts to prevent the spread of Delta variant.
“Again, alam ko pong napakahirap para sa mga OFWs na stranded ngayon sa mga lugar kung saan mayroon tayong travel ban,” Roque said.
Malacanang said the decision was intended to protect not only the OFWs, but their loved ones in the Philippines.
“Pero hinihingi po namin ang inyong pasensiya at pag-intindi dahil ito naman po ay isang napatunayan nang paraan para mapigilan po ang pagpasok ng mas nakamamatay at mas nakakahawang Delta variant at Delta Plus variant na pupuwede pong magdulot ng kamatayan o ‘di naman kaya pagkakasakit hindi lang sa inyo kung hindi sa inyong mga mahal sa buhay dito po sa Pilipinas,” he said.
The DFA reported that some 1,920 overseas Filipinos became part of the government repatriation from the United Arab Emirates for the month of June.
