HONG KONG – The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong assisted a total of 190 stranded Filipino nationals in Hong Kong due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic by arranging special flights for third and fourth batches with Cathay Pacific Airlines on June 27 and 29, respectively.

The repatriates were mostly household service workers whose contracts were either terminated or have ended, and their flights going back to the Philippines were cancelled several times. Among them were several pregnant women, a couple of medical cases, and a repatriate with an expired visa.

The repatriation was made possible through the Philippine Consulate General’s team effort of its Assistance-To-Nationals Section, Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and Cathay Pacific.

In both repatriation activities, Consul Paulo Saret, together with Philippine Labor Attaché Melchor Mendoza, headed the smooth check-in process at the airport.

The officers and staff of the Consulate, POLO, OWWA, and DSWD were also at the airport to provide additional support by giving out N95 masks and breakfast to the repatriates. They also helped in the efficient flow of the repatriation procedures, from the arrival of the repatriates at the airport until they departed from Hong Kong.

The repatriates were all happy and expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the Philippine government, the Consulate, POLO, OWWA, and DSWD for their repatriation. (PR)