Calgary, 16 March 2023 – The Philippine Consulate General (PCG) in Calgary successfully facilitated the repatriation of a distressed Overseas Filipino (OF) with the use of the Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) Fund of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The repatriated Filipino, known as “Mr. AAA,” left Calgary on 12 March 2023 and arrived safely in Manila two days later. He is now staying with his family.

Consul General Zaldy Patron received “Mr. AAA” on 9 March 2023 at the PCG office to personally hand over his plane ticket and issue him a Travel Document.

“Mr. AAA,” who was homeless for a months after losing his job as a Temporary Foreign Worker, expressed his gratitude to the PCG through CG Patron, saying “maraming maraming salamat po sa tulong ng Konsulado, makakauwi na po ako (thank you very much to the Philippine Consulate General, I can finally go home).

The distressed OF said it was extremely difficult for him to find employment in Calgary due to the pandemic, recession, cold weather, and his irregular status.

He first received assistance from Migrante Alberta, which later on referred him to the PCG for further assistance when he finally decided to just go back to the Philippines to reunite with his family.

The Philippines is a staunch advocate of the protection of the rights and promotion of the welfare of migrants, through the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration (GCM) since its adoption by the UN General Assembly in December of 2018. As a GCM Champion Country, the Philippines, through its foreign service posts, upholds full respect for the human rights of migrants, particularly the most vulnerable, including by promoting migrants’ access to social services, such as repatriation.