Philippines returns over 270 citizens stranded in Vietnam

The repatriated Filipinos, 163 from Ho Chi Minh City and 108 from Hanoi, were facing economic difficulties and travel restrictions brought about by the prolonged Covid crisis, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs stated.

This was the second repatriation flight from Vietnam this year, with the first having brought 144 stranded Filipinos home to their country.

The Philippine Embassy in Hanoi said the Vietnamese government helped facilitate the exit visas of many of the Filipinos while assisting with the swift approval of the chartered flight, allowing all "necessary conditions for the stranded Filipinos to move through various regions in Vietnam in the midst of strict social distancing measures."

Last year, the Philippines government also organized several repatriation flights to bring its citizens stuck in Vietnam home.

Vietnam is currently facing its most challenging Covid outbreak so far, triggered by the Delta variant, prompting localities to impose travel restrictions or tighten lockdown measures to control the pandemic.

The Philippine government earlier removed Vietnam from its list of 'green' countries and territories that have a low coronavirus risk due to rising fears of the Delta variant.

In more than three months since the new wave started, Vietnam has recorded nearly 271,000 infections.