Ninety-nine Filipinos are stranded abroad after the Philippines authorities imposed a travel ban as the fears of the spread of COVID-19 infection grew following the detection of the Omicron variant.
Only the flights carrying Filipino repatriates from South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, and Italy are allowed into the country.
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Undersecretary Sarah Arriola said there are around 50 Filipinos stranded in Europe.
She urged Filipinos affected by new travel restrictions to contact Philippine embassies and consulates to help them return home.
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The Philippines will launch repatriation flights from The Netherlands and South Africa.
Arriola cautioned stranded Filipinos abroad that the repatriation process now “is a little bit more complicated, so we need the cooperation of our kababayans because they have to transfer from one country to another to be able to join the repatriation flights.” (AW)
