MORE than 200 Filipino students who finished their internship programs in Israel have been repatriated, the Commission on Higher Education said.

The agency said that the 260 students from 30 state universities and colleges were flown home after completing 11 months of international internship/training under the Granot Agrostudies Program in Israel.

The students will stay at the University Pad in Manila for their mandatory quarantine while waiting for the result of their RT-PCR swab test. However, students of the Pampanga Agricultural State University and Tarlac Agricultural University were transported to Clark City where they will be tested and quarantined.

CHED Chairman Prospero de Vera III said the agency will monitor the students until they are reunited with their families.

“The Commission thanks Embassy of the Philippines in Tel Aviv and DFA Office of the Middle East and African Affairs for their support in the repatriation of student interns from Israel upon the completion of their internship,” De Vera said.

The agency also thanked the Task Group on Management of Returning Overseas Filipinos headed by BGen. Cesar Yano, the Department of Transportation, Philippine Army, Civil-Military Operations Regiment, and RRCG Transport System Co. Inc. for their assistance to the students.

Two more batches composed of 312 student-interns will arrive on October 21 and October 24.