The Philippine government has repatriated the first batch of non-marital children from Jordan after almost a decade of talks between Manila and Amman.

Non-marital children are children whose biological parents are not married when they are born or conceived.

Children without birth certificates were previously barred from leaving the country under Jordanian law.

But through efforts taken and agreed by both sides, the first batch of repatriates, composed of 13 Filipino nationals, returned to the country.

A total of 47 more are expected to be repatriated, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

“This repatriation is a testament of the willingness of our two countries to resolve matters that affect the interests of our Filipino nationals in Jordan. We have proven that, in coordinating closely with our host government, we can get the job done,” Philippine Ambassador to Jordan Wilfredo Santos said in a statement.
 

“Our appreciation also extends to the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for their support to this humanitarian undertaking, including working closely with the Philippine Embassy in Amman for the requirements for this effort, which took time and a lot of representations by both sides,” he added.

The embassy facilitated the issuance of Philippine civil registration documents and travel documents.

The repatriation efforts were also made possible by the Migrant Workers Office that shouldered the costs of flight tickets, bus transports, and temporary accommodation in the shelter a day before their departure, according to DFA.