In this June 2, 2020, photo, repatriated OFWs arrive at the NAIA Terminal 2 to board their flights as the NAIA resumed operations starting Monday, June 1, 2020, under the general community quarantine. (File photo by MARIANNE BERMUDEZ / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines — More than 1.2 million Filipinos abroad have been repatriated or have returned back to the Philippines since the start of the pandemic, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana reported Monday during the weekly Palace briefing on the COVID-19 situation with President Rodrigo Duterte.
As of June 28, a total of 1,237,186 overseas Filipinos have either been repatriated — of which 1,005,885 are workers (OFWs) and 231,301 were residents abroad.
Of the OFWs, 591,956 are land-based and 413,929 are sea-based.
Lorenzana likewise reported that 3,168 Filipinos have also been transferred from Sabah as of May 22. As of June 21, another 4,683 Filipinos are waiting to be transferred from Sabah.