MANILA, Philippines — Around 72,000 overseas Filipinos have been repatriated by the Philippine government, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello said on Friday.
“As of today, ang report natin is 72,000 na ang naiuwi natin. Everyday meron tayong iniuuwi,” he said in an interview with ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo when asked how many Filipinos abroad have been sent home.
(As of today, based on the report given to us, we have repatriated 72,000 Filipinos. We repatriate overseas Filipinos every day.)
Bello, however, noted that the repatriated OFWs can still choose to return abroad once the situations normalize in they countries where they were formerly employed.
“Lalong lalo na sa Middle East, paborito nila ang OFW dahil ang pagkakalam nila sa OFW ay masipag at mapagkakatiwalaan,” he added.
(Especially in the Middle East, they like OFWs because they see Filipinos as hardworking and trustworthy.)
He said that more overseas Filipinos will be sent home in the coming weeks.
On June 3, Bello said around 191,000 of 340 overseas Filipino workers affected by the coronavirus disease pandemic do not want to return to the Philippines as they were still hoping to find work abroad despite the pandemic.