Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 14) – The Department of Foreign Affairs said 50,577 Filipinos stranded abroad are expected to be back to the Philippines by the end of July, but its budget for the program is seen to run out by August.
DFA Undersecretary Sarah Arriola said during the House committee on public accounts brieifing that the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines already approved 53 flights to United Arab Emirates, 42 flights to Saudi Arabia including five DFA-chartered flights, and 21 flights to Qatar including three DFA-chartered flights.
Specifically for those in Qatar, Arriola said a flight is scheduled on July 17 for those with existing Philippine Airlines ticket, while those without can fly on July 19 through a chartered flight. As for those stranded in Vietnam, a repatriation flight is scheduled on July 25.
The official previously said that the issuance of flight permits delay overseas Filipino workers from coming home.
The number of Filipinos still stranded after July is seen at 117,049, DFA said. However, Arriola said this number may still rise if there will be more Filipinos who will request to be brought back to the country if a vaccine is not yet developed.
As of July 13, DFA said there are 82,057 total repatriated overseas Filipinos from 60 countries and 132 cruise ships. Of this, 38,308 are sea-based, while 43,749 are land-based.
On budget concerns, Arriola said the ₱1-billion assistance to nationals fund is now at ₱232.948 million, half of which will be used in the next two weeks, and by mid-August fund is expected to have been exhausted.
She said DFA secretary Teodoro Locsin is already realigning the department’s budget to ensure that the program will continue.
Meanwhile, Iloilo First District Rep. Janette Garin said returning Filipinos should just be brought directly to airports in their provinces and have them tested and quarantined there to reduce costs.
She said testing returning Filipinos in Manila, then having them stay in a quarantine facility is costly since they will still be tested in their province once they return there. It would be better to have them directly fly to the airport in their province, and be tested and quarantined there, Garin said.
