ZAMBOANGA CITY — Eight hundred Filipinos deported from Malaysia arrived in Zamboanga City on Friday night, October 30, as government agencies and humanitarian partners mounted a coordinated reception and assistance operation following weeks of preparations for the expected resumption of regular arrivals from Sabah.
The returning Filipinos arrived at the Zamboanga City Port at around 8 p.m. aboard MV Antonia 1, which resumed its route from Sandakan, Sabah, to Zamboanga City as part of the ongoing repatriation of Filipinos from Malaysia.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office IX, through its Processing Center for Displaced Persons (PCDP), led the reception and immediate assistance for the 800 returnees, who had come from detention centers in Sandakan, Papar and Tawau.
The group included 589 adult males, 89 adult females, 64 male children and 58 female children. All of the children in the group were below 12 years old.
The October 30 arrival marked the second batch of Filipino deportees received in Zamboanga City this year following the resumption of repatriation operations. The first batch arrived in January 2026.
The large-scale arrival came after the PCDP undertook extensive preparations in anticipation of the expected weekly arrival of approximately 800 Returning Filipinos from Sabah per trip from October 30 until December 11.
As early as October 23, the PCDP had coordinated with the Bureau of Quarantine and the Ministry of Social Services and Development of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Zamboanga Satellite Office during a coordination meeting at the Bureau of Quarantine office in Kasanyangan, Zamboanga City.
The center also prepared family food packs, hygiene kits, clothing and food provisions for the incoming returnees, while coordination was carried out with other government agencies and concerned offices to organize transportation, security, crowd control and other logistical requirements.
PCDP personnel likewise checked the availability and readiness of temporary shelter and sleeping areas, as well as essential services including water supply, electricity and internet connectivity, in preparation for the orderly processing and temporary accommodation of the arriving Filipinos.
Upon their arrival, DSWD FO IX facilitated their reception and provided immediate meals and other assistance in coordination with partner agencies.
The operation was spearheaded by PCDP Center Head Fatnohalda Paddih, Social Welfare Officer IV, with support from the International Organization for Migration, Philippine Red Cross, Action Against Hunger, City Engineer’s Office, Office of the City Environment and Natural Resources, Office of Civil Defense, Department of Health, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Air Force, Philippine National Police and the City Government of Zamboanga.
Following their reception at the port, the returnees were transferred to the Processing Center for Displaced Persons for further processing and assessment.
Officials said the assessment is intended to identify the individual needs of the returning Filipinos and determine the appropriate interventions and assistance required before they can continue their journey and eventually reunite with their families and communities.
The arrival also highlights the continuing humanitarian and logistical challenge facing government agencies as regular repatriation trips from Sabah resume. With approximately 800 returnees expected per trip in the coming weeks, authorities are relying on sustained inter-agency coordination to ensure that the reception, assessment, temporary accommodation and provision of assistance can be carried out safely and in an orderly manner.
DSWD Field Office IX said it will continue working with government agencies, humanitarian organizations and local authorities to provide necessary support to returning Filipinos throughout the repatriation and reintegration process.