108 Expectant Moms Part of 348 Repatriates from UAE

PASAY CITY 01 July 2021 — Some 108 expectant mothers were part of the special flight that arrived today at the NAIA Terminal 1. The flight was the third DFA chartered flight from the UAE, and part of the Department’s ceaseless efforts to bring home as many stranded and distressed Filipinos from the region as soon as possible.

The arrival of the 348 repatriates ups the total number of Filipinos repatriated in the month of June from the UAE to 1,034. The DFA has previously mounted special flights for stranded Filipinos in the UAE. Last 2 June, a Cebu Pacific flight brought home 364 land-based OFWs, while another DFA-chartered PAL flight last 17 June repatriated 322, all of whom, except one, were land-based workers. 

All the 348 repatriates, including the 108 expectant mothers arrived in high spirits. The DFA’s last repatriation flight from the UAE also included 86 pregnant women on board. 

As part of health and safety protocols, all passengers were tested and tested negative in the RT-PCR COVID-19 test, administered at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to their departure from the UAE.

The repatriates will also undergo stringent facility-based quarantine for fourteen (14) days, following health protocols set by the Department of Health (DOH) - Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) and shall undergo another round of RT-PCR test for COVID-19 while in quarantine. 

"We continue to provide assistance to all our distressed kababayan despite the challenges of the pandemic. We will never waver in our commitment to do so," DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs Sarah Lou Y. Arriola said in a statement. 

Each repatriate will receive P10,000 financial assistance which will be given at the end of their quarantine.

The DFA earlier announced that there are four (4) DFA-organized repatriation flights for the month of July.

The Department, through the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi and Philippine Consulate General in Dubai, will continue to accept applications for future repatriations from the UAE.

The DFA and other Philippine government agencies uphold the One-Country Team Approach (OCTA) to ensure the safety and welfare of our Kababayans. END