DFA Repatriates 13,320 Overseas Filipinos in week before Christmas

22 December 2020 – As Christmas Day approaches, the DFA remains steadfast in its commitment to bring home overseas Filipinos (OFs) wherever they are in the world. Last week alone, 13,320 OFs were flown home by the DFA. This puts the total number of repatriated OFs to 314,158 since the DFA started its COVID-19 related repatriations in February.

The DFA facilitated 64 special commercial repatriation flights last week. Among those brought home through these special flights include:
74 OFWs from the island Diego Garcia;
33 OFWs and 1 minor child from Cambodia;
21 trafficking-in-persons victim from UAE;
9 undocumented OFWs from Iraq;
4 OFWs and 2 minor children from Guangzhou, China;
2 medical repatriates from Oman;
2 undocumented OFWs from Vietnam;
1 household service worker from Iran; and
1 stranded seafarer from Bahamas

32 Filipino crew of stranded fishing vessels, Long Xing 905, 906, and 907 also arrived last Saturday, 19 December 2020. The three ships were previously stranded at sea near the Marshall Islands after the ship owner, Dalian Ocean Fishing Company Limited, stopped paying the salaries of the crew and failed to make provisions for refueling the ships. The DFA, through its Office for Migrant Workers’ Affairs and its Philippine Embassies in Australia, New Zealand and China lobbied hard with the authorities in Vanuatu, Marshall Islands and China, including with the Chinese Embassy in Manila. This led the ship owner to make arrangements for the salaries of the crew and to refuel the ships to be able return to port in Dalian, China.

With only a couple of weeks to go before the end of 2020, the DFA continues to forge ahead with its repatriations efforts and stands ready to assist Filipino nationals affected by the pandemic. END