Number of repatriated Pinoys at 153,124 so far —DFA

The number of Overseas Filipinos who have been repatriated has breached the 150,000 mark after an additional 8,329 arrived last week, the Department of Foreign Affairs announced Sunday.

As of August 29, the DFA has recorded a total of 153,124 repatriates since February -- 95,529 or 62.4% land-based, while the remaining 37.6% or 57,595 sea-based.

According to the DFA, it facilitated 39 special commercial repatriation flights from the Middle East, Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific, and was able to bring home Filipinos from countries without direct flights to the Philippines such as Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Kenya, Peru, Russia, and Turks & Caicos.

Moving forward, some 1,000 repatriates are expected this week through three DFA-chartered flights arriving from Doha, Qatar; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

"The DFA tirelessly works to facilitate more repatriation flights in September through close coordination with its Foreign Service Posts as well as with its partner government agencies in the country. OFs who wish to seek repatriation assistance are advised to contact the nearest embassy or consulate in their area," the agency said.

President Rodrigo Duterte last month said there were still some 48,000 overseas Filipinos awaiting repatriation, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Philippines has so far recorded a total of 217,396 confirmed cases of COVID-19, as of Sunday, August 30. This includes 157,403 recoveries and 3,520 deaths. —LBG, GMA News