DFA Charters Flight to Bring Home 336 Stranded Filipinos in Maldives

PASAY CITY 25 April 2020 – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) welcomed today’s fifth batch of repatriates, composed of 336 Filipinos from Maldives, who were brought home via chartered Philippine Airlines flight PR8709, which landed at the NAIA Terminal 2 at 8:50 P.M.

This is the fourth repatriation flight that was fully funded by DFA’s Assistance-to-Nationals Fund. It was a joint effort of the Philippine Embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh, the Philippine Honorary Consulate in Malé, Maldives, the Filipino community in Maldives and DFA’s Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs.

“The DFA will not waver in its commitment to serve all distressed overseas Filipinos, especially as all nations endure this global COVID-19 outbreak. Our people here and abroad will make every possible effort to bring those who wish to come home and be reunited with their loved ones,” said Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Sarah Lou Y. Arriola.

Upon arrival, the repatriated Filipinos underwent the appropriate medical protocols as required by the Department of Health (DOH), including a Rapid Antibody Testing for COVID-19. Later, they were brought to the World Trade Center COVID Quarantine Facility, where they will complete the mandatory 14-day quarantine.

The DFA, together with the DOH-Bureau of Quarantine, the Philippine Coast Guard and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, is implementing a whole-of-government approach to assist Filipino nationals in the ongoing global health crisis. END

(Photos by DFA-OUMWA)