The Department of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with the Philippine Embassies in Cambodia and Myanmar, organized a sweeper relief flight on October 5 via Myanmar National Airlines flight number UB 9905 to repatriate distressed Filipinos from Cambodia and Myanmar.
In a news release on Thursday, the DFA said the flight carried 73 distressed overseas Filipinos — including one infant, two minors, and five senior citizens — who lost their jobs and had been stranded in Cambodia since the start of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. The flight also included distressed Filipinos from Yangon, Myanmar.
The Filipino repatriates expressed their heartfelt appreciation to the Philippine government and the Philippine Embassy for organizing the flight and helping them return home to be with their families and loved ones.
Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, the Philippine Embassy in Cambodia has facilitated the repatriation of 1,110 distressed overseas.
This is the 14th repatriation program of the embassy since 2020 and the fourth sweeper flight arranged for 2021.