By ROY C. MABASA
The second batch composed of 116 Filipino repatriates who availed of the ongoing amnesty program of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for undocumented foreign nationals had arrived safely in Manila, the Philippine government said on Sunday.
This latest arrival brings to 216 the total number of Filipino repatriates from Dubai since the UAE government launched its three-month amnesty program on August 1, 2018.
The first batch of 100 repatriates went back home on August 16, 2018.
The repatriates, composed of 89 females, 27 males and nine children arrived from Dubai Sunday morning aboard a Philippine Airlines flight.
Vice Consul Elizabeth Picar Ramos accompanied the repatriates on their trip.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said they provided the airfare and P5,000 cash dole-out to each of the repatriates, and likewise covered the domestic airfare of 25 of the repatriated workers who were mostly from Mindanao.
There are about 10,000 Filipinos under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi and 20,000 under the Consulate General in Dubai who are deemed eligible under the amnesty program.
The UAE amnesty program will end on October 31, 2018.
Philippine Consul General to Dubai Paul Raymond Cortez said the UAE is implementing the amnesty for all foreign nationals who violated the country’s immigration rules, adding that those who will avail themselves of the program will be exempted from the usual fines and immigration penalties and will not be banned from re-entering that Gulf state.
Cortez said the amnesty covers those who have overstayed or have absconded from their employers.
