44 Pinoys repatriated from Japan due Sunday

At least 44 Filipinos who agreed to be repatriated from the Fukushima area in Japan are due to arrive home Sunday afternoon. The 44 were among the first batch of Filipinos living in the area affected by radiation from a quake-hit nuclear plant, radio dzBB reported early Sunday. Last Wednesday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said at least 55 Filipinos within a 100-km radius of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant voiced interest in being repatriated. DFA spokesman Eduardo Malaya said the Philippine government has enough funds for the repatriation. Earlier, Malaya said a total of 1,989 Filipinos live in the area potentially affected by nuclear radiation from the plant. He also said the government may spend some $200,000 for one chartered flight that can carry some 400 Filipinos from there. — LBG, GMA News