Over 50k OFWs repatriated amid COVID-19 pandemic —Lorenzana

The Philippine government has repatriated a total of 50,105 overseas Filipino workers (OFW) amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the chairperson of the Inter?Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases said.

In a late briefing on Monday night, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said from May until June 14, around 41,000 OFWs have returned to their respective provinces.

Meanwhile, from May 15 to 24, he said a total of 8,922 have returned to their families.

“Tuloy-tuloy pa rin po ‘yong ating pag-repatriate at pagtanggap ng repatriates na galing sa ibang bansa,” Lorenzana said.

“Ang target is hindi tatagal ng five days at mapapauwi na,” he added.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has recorded 5,566 COVID-19 cases among Filipinos overseas as of Monday, most of them were from the Middle East/Africa.

Of this number, 2,497 have recovered while 426 have died. —LDF, GMA News