More than 460,000 overseas Filipinos have been repatriated from various countries since the Philippines started bringing back distressed Filipinos abroad in 2020.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Sarah Lou Arriola disclosed that 460,383 overseas Filipinos have returned to the country through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)-facilitated repatriation program as of May 31.
The total repatriated nationals consist of 354,382 land-based overseas Filipinos and 106,001 seafarers.
The DFA is also conducting a separate round of repatriation for Filipinos in Sri Lanka affected by the ongoing economic crisis in the foreign country.
As of May 31, a total of 25 Filipinos, including nine minors, have expressed intention to be sent back home.
They are expected to arrive in the country "either this coming weekend or early next week," Arriola said.
During the Duterte Legacy Summit, the DFA highlighted its achievement in establishing eight additional Foreign Service Posts in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic, which was also instrumental in helping to bring home almost half a million Filipinos from all over the world.
"In the face of an unprecedented global health pandemic, the Department continued to serve the needs of our kababayans, contributing to national efforts in facilitating vaccine procurement, securing humanitarian assistance, and bring home displaced overseas Filipinos," Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said during the summit.
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