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DOLE estimates over 100,000 Filipinos stranded overseas

The Philippines’ Department of Labor and Employment has revealed that nearly 100,000 overseas Filipino workers have expressed their intent to go home but are currently stranded due to various situations mainly due to the impact of the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in their respective host countries.
As of May 29, DOLE reported a total of 98,615 stranded Filipinos citing reports from over 40 foreign posts of Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLO). Of this number, 83,483 are in the Middle East, 12,050 are from Europe and the American regions and 3,082 are from Asian countries. Majority of OFWs in the Middle East and Asian countries are land-based OFWs, while those in Europe and America were mostly sea-based.
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Reports from the Philippine News Agency state that of the total stranded OFWs, about 19,631 have unfinished contracts or distressed needing repatriation in the coming weeks, 11,505 of whom are in the Middle East while close to 6,500 are in Europe and the Americas.
DOLE furthered that these Filipinos are a mix of those whose contracts had been finished or expired but are unable to leave their host country due to lack of flights back home, those who had been affected by lockdown measures of their host countries, as well as distressed Filipinos who wish to be repatriated at the soonest possible time.
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As of posting time, around 36,625 OFWs have already been repatriated back to the Philippines from different parts of the world to be reunited with their families. OWWA reports that they have already spent around Php700 million inclusive of costs for repatriation, transport, accommodation, and food for all returning OFWs who are all required to undergo a 14-day quarantine upon their arrival.

Staff Report

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