382 repatriates from UAE arrive in Davao

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has repatriated 382 Filipinos stranded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The repatriates arrived in Davao City yesterday on a Cebu Pacific flight.

DFA Undersecretary for migrant workers’ affairs Sarah Lou Arriola said each adult repatriate received P10,000 in financial assistance from the government.

Most of the repatriates are overseas Filipino workers and their dependents, four are non-OFWs while six were recently released from prison in Dubai for alleged involvement in illegal drug activities.

The returning Filipinos underwent reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction testing 48 hours before their flight.

They will undergo quarantine for 14 days in a local government facility and swabbed on the seventh day from their arrival.

At least 275 of the passengers were fully vaccinated against COVID while five have received their first dose.

The DFA has brought home 4,100 Filipinos from the UAE since the start of the pandemic last year.— Edith Regalado