Philippine Embassy’s First Repatriation in 2021

Brings Home 56 Overseas Filipinos from Cambodia

17 March 2021, Phnom Penh – The Department of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with the Philippine Embassies in Yangon, Myanmar and Phnom Penh, Cambodia, organized a special repatriation flight today via Philippine Airlines for distressed Filipinos in Myanmar and Cambodia.

Fifty-six (56) distressed Filipinos in Cambodia, including two infants, five senior citizens, and one medical stretcher case, requested the Embassy’s assistance for repatriation and were included in the special repatriation flight. The flight also carried over 100 Filipinos from Yangon, Myanmar before flying to Phnom Penh, Cambodia to pick-up the 56 Filipinos in Cambodia.

Several repatriates expressed their gratitude to the Philippine Embassy and its personnel for the prompt assistance and guidance in returning home with one mentioning “taos pusong pasasalamat sa lahat ng kinatawan ng Philippine Embassy Cambodia sa napakabilis na pagtugon sa aking kahilingan na makauwi sa ating bayan.” One Philippine-based family member of a repatriate also sent a message of appreciation to the Embassy for helping her sister, who lost her job in Phnom Penh, return home. Other repatriates spoke of their excitement and joy in finally returning home and reuniting with their families.

One of the repatriates, who met with a vehicular accident last month causing hip fracture and was able to join the flight using a stretcher, repeatedly thanked the Embassy for coordinating and ensuring that she is able to join the flight today saying, “thank you sa lahat ng pagod nyo sa akin…kung wala kayo, siguro hindi pa ako makakauwi ngayon.”

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philippine Embassy in Cambodia has facilitated the repatriation of 864 distressed overseas Filipinos in Cambodia. END