55 Filipinos repatriated from Myanmar amid COVID-19 pandemic

A total of 55 overseas Filipinos who were repatriated from Myanmar due to the COVID-19 pandemic arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Wednesday afternoon.

In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs said the repatriated were flown home by a Myanmar National Airlines flight arranged since January 15.

“The DFA through its network of 94 Philippine Embassies and Consulates General across the globe is always ready to assist our overseas Filipinos who wish to return to the Philippines due to the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions in their host countries,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. said.

Further, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Sarah Arriola urged distressed Filipinos overseas to make use of the assistance-to-nationals fund including the legal assistance fund to provide timely and proactive service to overseas Filipinos in need.

As of February 20, the DFA said it already brought home a total of 368,736 overseas Filipinos since it started its COVID-19-related repatriations a year ago.—Ma. Angelica Garcia/LDF, GMA News