DFA repatriates over 124,000 OFWs

As of August 8, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has repatriated a total of 124,717 overseas Filipinos due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of the total repatriated, 49,655 were sea-based and 75,062 were land-based.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will repatriate over 1,000 distressed OFWs from Qatar starting August 12 in three batches, with the first flight on August 12 carrying 354 workers.

The remaining 708 OFWs will be flown home on August 19 and 26.

These OFWs are wards at a halfway house in Doha and are stranded or displaced due to the pandemic.

The DOLE has already assisted in the repatriation of 2,327 OFWs from Qatar since the pandemic began.

The government has allotted an additional P5 billion for the repatriation of migrant Filipinos and other aid.