H.E. Ambassador Raul S. Hernandez together with the 192 Filipinos repatriated from Turkey

The Philippine Embassy in Ankara, in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila, facilitated the repatriation of 192 Filipinos from Turkey via TK 3290, a chartered flight from Istanbul arranged by Turkish Airlines with a travel agency in the Philippines, Trends TravelMart, on 9 July 2020 at 02:15H. The Filipinos were composed of 184 seafarers from 31 vessels across Turkey and nearby cities in Europe, as well as 8 land-based OFWs from Northern Cyprus and Istanbul.

Before the Filipinos boarded their flight, Philippine Ambassador to Turkey, H.E. Raul S. Hernandez hailed the Filipinos for their years of sacrifice as the modern heroes of the Philippines, working many years overseas to provide for the welfare and future of their families. Ambassador Hernandez also thanked the repatriates for their significant contributions to the Philippine economy through their remittances. The Filipinos were reminded to be vigilant and exercise all necessary precautions upon their return to help mitigate the adverse impacts of COVID-19 in the Philippines. The repatriates expressed their appreciation for the efforts of the Philippine government to bring them home to be their families and loved ones.

The repatriation flight was the second mounted by the Philippine Embassy in Ankara following the first repatriation flight on 10 July 2020 when 128 Filipinos returned to the Philippines.

H.E. Ambassador Raul S. Hernandez delivers a message to the Filipino repatriates

H.E. Ambassador Raul S. Hernandez with a group of seafarers

H.E. Ambassador Raul S. Hernandez at the Turkish Airlines check in counter with some of the repatriates

H.E. Ambassador Raul S. Hernandez together with Consul Lorena Joy P. Banagodos, Third Secretary and Vice Consul Marc Theodore Benigno, ATN Officer Vanesa Sumera and Filipinos from Northern Cyprus