Over 36,000 OFWs return home due to COVID-19 pandemic – DFA

MANILA, Philippines — Over 36,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have so far returned to the country due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced Monday.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs SarahLou Arriola said a total of 36,731 OFWs have returned home.

Twenty two thousand one hundred ninety eight are sea-based workers while 14,533 are land-based workers.

The DFA official also said that they are expecting more sea-based workers from the Americas to return home.

“Marami po talaga tayong sea based workers na nasa Americas na around 31,000 to 35,000 na talagang kailangan na po nilang umuwi pero siyempre kina-calibrate natin ‘yung pag uwi nila,” Arriola said in a televised public briefing.

(We have a lot of sea based workers in the Americas, around 31,000 to 35,000 who really need to go home but of course we are calibrating their repatriation.)

She added that overseas Filipinos, whether documented or undocumented, will receive repatriation assistance, if needed.

To date,  5,392 Filipinos overseas  have contracted the viral illness, with 2,231 recoveries and 370 deaths.

07 June 2020

Today, the DFA reports 24 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in Europe and Middle East among our Filipinos abroad, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 5,392. (1/4) pic.twitter.com/Bs6k3tvDh5

— DFA Philippines 🇵🇭 (@DFAPHL) June 7, 2020

Earlier, COVID-19 response chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr. said around 42,000 OFWs are set to return to the country in May and June.

The government limited the number of passengers aboard repatriation flights to manage the volume of people in quarantine facilities.

All of them must be tested for COVID-19 and stay in quarantine facilities for 14 days.

GSG