DFA brings home 354 distressed, stranded Filipinos from Saudi Arabia

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs on Friday said it charted a special repatriation flight that brought home 354 distressed or stranded overseas Filipino workers from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

The flight arrived on December 23, carrying passengers who are now undergoing strict facility-based quarantine. 

"Knowing full well a Filipino’s yearning to be with their loved ones during Christmas, the government exerted its utmost to bring home our kababayan (countrymen) so that they could celebrate this season of cheer with their families,” Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs Sarah Lou Arriola is quoted as saying in a statement. 

None of the repatriates, however, will get to spend Christmas Eve or Christmas Day with their families. Others may reach home in time for New Year's Eve. 

Repatriates who are fully vaccinated must undergo facility-based quarantine for five days and will only be allowed to begin their home quarantines for another nine days if they test negative for COVID-19 on the fifth day of their arrival. 

Unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, or repatriates whose vaccination status cannot be validated must stay in a quarantine facility for at least seven days, with their release also pending a negative COVID-19 test result. They will have to quarantine at home for another seven days as well. 

These are the protocols set for passengers arriving from Saudi Arabia which is considered a "yellow" or moderate-risk country by the Philippine government. 

According to the DFA, many of the repatriates had given up hope of going home as they could not find flights back to the Philippines and were grateful for the opportunity to return.