Embassy facilitates largest single mass repatriation from Beirut

GOING HOME. Repatriates queue in preparation for their flight to Manila on July 12, 2020. As beneficiaries of the embassy’s voluntary mass repatriation program, all their travel expenses, such as tickets and immigration penalties, were paid for by the embassy. (Philippine Embassy in Beirut photo via PNA)

MANILA – The Philippine embassy in Beirut repatriated 410 overseas Filipinos from Lebanon, the largest single mass repatriation flight by the government.

The repatriates, who arrived last week via Qatar Airways, have spent years in Lebanon away from family and loved ones.

As beneficiaries of the voluntary mass repatriation program, all their travel expenses, such as tickets and immigration penalties, were paid for by the embassy.

The embassy will continue to cover all costs for the repatriation of future beneficiaries under the program, which started in December 2019.

Before the chartered flight, some 1,023 beneficiaries on 15 flights were previously repatriated.

The latest batch of repatriates brings the total number of program beneficiaries to 1,433.

The embassy expressed thanks to the Lebanese government and Qatar Airways for their assistance to the repatriation.