MANILA - The Department of Foreign Affairs on Sunday said it brought home 359 more overseas Filipinos from the United Arab Emirates, bringing the total of repatriated Filipinos from the Middle Eastern country since the pandemic started to 3,000.

In a statement, DFA said the 359 Filipinos, including 112 pregnant Filipinos and 12 persons with disabilities, arrived in Davao International Airport Sunday morning onboard its 7th special chartered flight from UAE.

The DFA has repatriated a total of 3,000 distressed Filipinos from the United Arab Emirates, following the arrival of its 7th special chartered flight from the UAE since the start of the pandemic.

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"We are working double time to make sure our kababayans in distress get the much-needed repatriation the soonest. Pregnant women, PWDs and those with special needs are given due consideration to expedite their return home," Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Sarah Lou Arriola said.

The repatriation was made possible by the DFA through the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs (OUMWA), with the assistance of the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi, the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai, and the Regional Consular Office in Davao (DFA RCO Davao).

In addition to the return flight ticket, the repatriates will be provided with free swab test and free stay at a quarantine facility, as well as P10,000 reintegration assistance, the DFA said.