Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 3) — The Department of Foreign Affairs repatriated a total of 327,511 overseas Filipinos in 2020.
In a press release on Sunday, the DFA said 70.7% are land-based workers from at least 90 countries, while 29.3% are seafarers from over 150 vessels.
It also listed a breakdown of regions in which the repatriates “travelled or transited through,” with the Middle East accounting for the biggest share at 69.89%. Meanwhile, Asia and the Pacific had 11.26%; the Americas had 9.46%; the Europe had 8.83%; and Africa had 0.57%.
The department first mounted a COVID-19 repatriation flight on February 9, 2020 to bring home 30 Filipinos residing in Wuhan, China which was then the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak. It has since organized several flights to bring home more Filipino nationals, many of whom have lost their jobs due to the global health crisis.
The DFA said it has seen the highest number of repatriated overseas Filipinos in December last year, with 51,770 returning to the country.
Besides workers displaced by the global pandemic, other repatriates include victims of human trafficking, unaccompanied minor children and senior citizens, DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Sarah Arriola noted.
“As we start a new year, the DFA remains committed to its assistance-to-nationals mandate and renews its promise to bring home every Filipino who wishes to come home,” she said.
