MANILA — Overseas Filipino workers who want to come home to the Philippines, despite a travel ban to keep out the more contagious Delta COVID-19 variant, should reach out to their manning agencies or the embassy in their respective areas, Malacañang said on Monday.

The Philippines has barred the entry of travelers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, and Oman at least until June 30.

Filipinos who are part of repatriation efforts are exempted from the travel ban, noted Palace spokesman Harry Roque.

"Kung pupuwede po at talagang atat na atat na kayong umuwi, kontakin n'yo po ang ating Philippine embassy o di naman kaya ang inyong manning agency para sila po'y mag-organize ng isang repatriation program," he said in a press briefing.

(If possible and you really want to go home, contact our Philippine embassy or your manning agency so that they can organize a repatriation program.)

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Video courtesy of PTV

The Philippines has detected among inbound travelers 17 cases of the Delta COVID-19 variant that originated from India.

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The variant has been blamed for an uptick in COVID-19 cases in India and the UK.

It is becoming the globally dominant variant of the disease, the World Health Organization's chief scientist said last week.

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