The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said 35 Filipinos who were evacuated from panic-gripped Afghanistan are now home in the country.
The DFA said the 35 OFQs were flown by their respective companies to Doha where they a DFA-chartered flight to Manila three days after the Philippine government ordered mandatory repatriation in the country.
The chartered plane also carried 203 distressed Filipinos from Qatar and landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Tuesday afternoon.
DFA estimates that at least 97 Filipinos are still waiting to be flown out of Kabul. Assistant Secretary Eduardo Meñez said they are “working non-stop” to extricate the remaining Filipinos amidst the security threats in the Afgan capital which Taliban rebels now control.
The repatriates received US$200 financial assistance each from the Philippine government and upon arrival, underwent the appropriate medical protocols required of them.
DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Sarah Lou Arriola said they have repatriated 238 distressed Filipinos who have sought repatriation assistance.