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DFA Brings Home 37,095 Overseas Filipinos in October - Overall Total Now 237,363

OUMWA

PASAY CITY 03 November 2020 — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) wrapped up its 8th month of COVID-related repatriation efforts as it brought home a total of 37,095 overseas Filipinos (OFs) this October. This brings the total number of repatriated OFs to 237,363 since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the total, 77,326 OFs (32.58%) are sea-based while 160,037 (67.42%) are land-based.

The repatriates this October came from the following regions:

31,849 or 85.86% from the Middle East;
2,716 or 7.32% from Asia and the Pacific;
2,406 or 6.49% from Europe;
92 or 0.25% from Africa; and
32 or 0.09% from the Americas.

October’s repatriations were marked by several “firsts” — the mass repatriation of more than 500 Agrostudies students from Israel, the safe return of 92 OFWs from Benghazi, Libya, and the first-ever repatriation by sea from Indonesia of 40 Filipino fishermen via the BRP Tubbataha.

The DFA also chartered three flights from Jeddah and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia which flew home 920 OFs, including OFWs with chronic medical conditions. The DFA also facilitated several medical repatriations from Australia, Brazil, French Polynesia, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Norway, Oman, Spain, and the USA.

“As we sustain our repatriation efforts in the last two months of the year, the DFA remains fully committed to bringing home our kababayan, whatever challenges we may face,” said Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Sarah Lou Y. Arriola.

The DFA expects to repatriate more than 107,000 Filipinos by year-end. END