MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday (September 14) confirmed that no Filipinos have so far been reported affected by the recent forest fire incidents across the West Coast in the United States.

The DFA wishes to refer the public to the advisories released by Philippine foreign service posts with jurisdiction over affected areas for up-to-date information and necessary assistance.

Specifically, these offices are the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles and the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco.

Local authorities are still struggling to control the raging wildfires in California, Oregon, Washington State and other areas in the West Coast.

The situation is made worse by varying wind directions and very low humidity. 

The raging wildfires across California, Oregon and Washington have already charred millions of acres of land and killed more than 30 people so far.

Authorities fear the death toll will increase as dozens more remain unaccounted for.

MANILA, Philippines – The number of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) repatriated due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has reached more than 174,000, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

In a statement on Sunday, the DFA said it brought home 9,671 OFWs last week, bringing the total to 174,039 since it began its repatriation efforts in February 2020.

Of the total number, 61,716 are sea-based workers while 112,323 are land-based, the agency added.

“The DFA remains relentless in facilitating more flights, particularly from the Middle East. This week, the DFA brought home more than 7,500 of our nationals from the said region via 27 special commercial repatriation flights,” it said.

The department said 11 of these flights were from the United Arab Emirates, seven from Saudi Arabia, four form Qatar, three from Bahrain, and one each from Kuwait and Oman.

“The return of Filipino seafarers also continues as the DFA facilitated the repatriation of more than 2,800 sea-based workers, including a Filipino fisherman who drifted to the waters of Central Sulawesi in April 2020,” it said.

The DFA added that it also extended assistance to “a cancer patient who finally arrived home in Manila on board a special commercial repatriation flight from Thailand last Wednesday.”

In a separate statement on Sunday, the department said the patient was among the 76 Filipinos brought home from Thailand on Wednesday.

“The DFA, together with its Philippine embassies, consulates and attached agencies around the world, remains fully committed to bringing home our nationals abroad amid the COVID-19 pandemic,” it said.

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday (September 10) reported that the remains of the two Filipinos who died in the gas leak explosion on August 31 in Abu Dhabi, UAE are now being prepared for repatriation to the Philippines.

The repatriation was set after all matters were cleared by authorities. 

Meanwhile, embassy officials and DFA regional representatives along with personnel from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) are now working closely with the families for the acceptance of the remains.

The DFA-DOLE composite team recently visited one of the families in their hometown, while Ambassador Hjayceelyn Quintana met with the widow and brother of the other deceased Filipino in Abu Dhabi, the DFA said.

The embassy arranged the viewing of the remains by family members, and is currently monitoring discussions between the families of the deceased and their employers. The families are also being assisted in the processing of the death benefits they will be receiving from the Philippine government.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Quintana spoke by phone to a Filipino survivor who was injured from the accident and now recovering well in the hospital.

The embassy expressed gratitude to the UAE government for ensuring that the affected Filipinos are cared for. 

The embassy also thanked members of the Filipino community whose prayers and expressions of support lent healing and comfort to the families of the victims.