A two-year-old Filipina who was abandoned as an infant and spent most of her young life in a shelter in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, has finally returned home to the Philippines through the coordinated efforts of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and UAE authorities.

The child arrived safely at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City on 9 June aboard a commercial flight. She was accompanied by Migrant Workers Office-Dubai Social Welfare Attaché Cherrylene Girado.

The girl had been under the care of the Family Village shelter in Al Warqa, Dubai, since she was four months old. The shelter provided her with a safe and nurturing environment while Philippine and UAE authorities completed arrangements for her repatriation.

The DMW said it worked closely with its counterparts in the UAE to facilitate the child's safe return and ensure her proper turnover to the appropriate government agencies upon arrival.

Meanwhile, two Filipino seafarers injured aboard the Cameroon-flagged oil and product tanker M/V Blue also returned to the Philippines on Wednesday night, 15 July, aboard Turkish Airlines Flight TK084, which landed at NAIA Terminal 3.

The seafarers received financial assistance from the DMW and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration before being turned over to their licensed manning agency.

The DMW also directed the agency to ensure the continued medical treatment and psychosocial support of the injured crew members as they recover.

The department said three other Filipino crew members who sustained burn injuries had earlier been evacuated from the vessel and remain under treatment at onshore medical facilities.

The M/V Blue, carrying 18 Filipino crew members, reportedly came under an apparent drone attack while transiting the Black Sea on 8 July. The attack damaged the vessel's stern, including its propeller and engine room, and triggered a fire that was later extinguished. All crew members were accounted for following the incident.