UAE supports safe return of abandoned two-year-old girl to the Philippines

Dubai: A two-year-old Filipino girl who was abandoned as an infant has returned safely to the Philippines after spending most of her early childhood under the care of a Dubai shelter. 

The child has arrived on July 9 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Manila on a commercial flight, marking the completion of a coordinated effort involving authorities from the UAE and the Philippines.

She has been accompanied on her journey home by Cherrylene Girado, social welfare attache at the Migrant Workers Office in Dubai.

The girl has been living at the Family Village in Al Warqa, Dubai, since she was just four months old.

“She was provided with a safe and nurturing environment that supported her health and development while arrangements for her return to the Philippines were being completed,” said the Philippine Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) in a Facebook post.

The Family Village has given care and protection for the child during her early years, helping her grow in a secure setting away from her initial circumstances.

Upon arrival in Manila, the child has been formally turned over to the Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development, which placed her under protective custody. 

The agency will oversee her care and determine the appropriate placement arrangements in line with child protection procedures.

Meanwhile, the successful return has been made possible through cooperation between UAE authorities, the DMW, and other concerned agencies.

According to the DMW, the department has worked closely with partner agencies to ensure the child’s safe return and proper handover upon arrival.

“Her homecoming reflects the government's continuing commitment to ensuring that no Filipino, especially the most vulnerable, is left behind,” stated the DMW.