Over 254,000 OFWs returned home amid pandemic —Lorenzana

Published October 14, 2020 10:26pm More than 254,000 overseas Filipino workers have already been repatriated amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Wednesday. In a briefing with President Rodrigo Duterte, Lorenzana the OFWs were already brought home to their respective provinces. However, he said there were still Filipinos in Sabah who have yet to return home. “Pareho pa rin ang number na gustong umuwi as of September 23 nasa 1,968. Mayroon pang mahigit 3,000 na gustong umuwi, naghihintay pa,” he said. Lorenzana said they have yet to repatriate the remaining Filipinos due to the lockdown in Sabah amid rising virus cases there. DOLE added the number could reach up to 700,000 if the government fails to address the health crisis. Moreover, Lorenzana said the provinces of Zamboanga, Jolo and Tawi-Tawi were not yet accepting locally stranded individuals and returning OFWs. As of Wednesday, the number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines rose to 346,536 including 293,860 recoveries and 6,449 deaths. The Philippines now ranks 18th worldwide in the number of COVID-19 infections. — Ma. Angelica Garcia/BM, GMA News

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