Close to 60 overseas Filipinos were recently brought back to the Philippines from Bahrain, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday, Nov. 2.
The Philippine Embassy in Bahrain was able to repatriate 58 overseas Filipinos (OFs) via Gulf Air’s direct commercial flight on Oct. 28. They arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) the next day.
According to the Foreign Affairs department, the repatriates included detainees, overstaying OFs, wards at the Embassy Shelter, and two OFs with medical conditions.
"Due to the continuing implementation of the limitation of arriving passengers in the Philippines, many distressed Filipinos in Manama Bahrain requested the Philippine Embassy’s assistance for booking tickets at a special rate given by Gulf Air," the agency said.
"The Embassy also coordinated with the DFA - Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, and concerned agencies for the exemption of the repatriates from arrival limitations as well as for the quarantine facilities for the repatriates," it added.
Since August 2021, the Embassy has facilitated the repatriation of 287 stranded Filipinos in Bahrain via Gulf Air’s direct flight to Manila. Out of the 287, the Embassy shouldered the airfare of 175 distressed Filipinos using the DFA’s Assistance-to- Nationals Fund.
The Embassy said it continues to provide assistance in repatriating stranded Filipinos in Bahrain as part of the Philippine Government’s coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response program.