The first batch of repatriates from Myanmar since the military coup took place in the foreign county have arrived in the Philippines.
139 Filipino repatriates were welcomed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. around 6 o’clock Monday evening. Most of the Filipinos brought home were employees whose contracts were affected by COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is a testament to our government’s steadfast commitment to assisting our people across the globe. We at the DFA are doing our best to do just that by bringing our people home amid the pandemic,” Locsin said.
Around 370 overseas Filipinos have been repatriated from Myanmar by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) via chartered flights through Assistance to Nationals fund since the onset of the pandemic.
Earlier in February, Burmese military seized control of the country under a year of state of emergency. Top officials, including the country’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi have been detained. Series of large protests have been happening since then. – Report from Naomi Tiburcio
