Stranded overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the UAE and other countries wanting to return to the Philippines will be repatriated based on the availability of quarantine facilities, according to the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
Foreign Undersecretary Sarah Arriola told media on June 23 that priority would be given to pregnant women and others OFWs needing medical assistance.
Arriola assured that the DFA has enough resources to help stranded OFWs with immigration and overstaying penalty fines.
Meanwhile, to prevent transmission of the Delta COVID-19 variant, the Philippines has banned travelers from the UAE and several other countries until June 30.
However, returning Filipinos (RFs) and OFWs included in government repatriations are not affected by the ban – even though Filipinos booking flights on their own are facing cancellations and overstaying woes.
