A total of 338 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) from Dubai, who were stranded due to the travel ban implemented by the country on the United Arab Emirates due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), are expected to arrive home under the government's repatriation program.
This, as the Philippine government was able to arrange a flight from a local airline company to fetch the stranded OFWs.
The arriving OFWs were made to avail of free meal and baggage payment and are also expected to receive a gift pack.
But the arriving OFWs are expected to comply with strict guidelines, including RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction) test taken 48 hours before departure with negative result, and a 15-day/14-night quarantine stay in a pre-booked, accredited facility upon arrival.
Another swab test will be taken seven days after arrival.
The costs of quarantine accommodation and testing for land-based overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are shouldered by Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) while the Philippine Port Authority covered the cost for sea-based OFWs.
Non-OFW returning citizens must arrange and pay for their quarantine accommodations and testing.