ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates?The family of a Filipino woman who died in a vehicular accident here in September has appealed to the Philippine government for help in bringing her remains back to the country.

Milagros Cestina, 46, of Taytay, Rizal, died after she was hit by a car driven by an Iraqi while she was crossing the street at midnight on September 9.

Cestina, a seamstress, suffered head injury and fractured ribs and limbs, according to the death certificate issued by the Health Authority of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Almost three months after the accident, Cestina?s body is still at Khalifa City Medical Hospital as repatriation proceedings have yet to begin.

?We are urging embassy as well as Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) officials in Manila to immediately repatriate her body. We are saddened by the slow process. We can?t stand the delay anymore,? Clippe Serapion, the victim?s cousin, said on Friday.

Serapion said she received a call from the hospital telling the family to get the body.

The hospital would be forced to bury the remains here or the family would be asked to pay a penalty for overstaying if the body is not repatriated before the end of the month, she said.

Serapion said the victim?s daughter in the Philippines, Carmella Cestina, had forwarded a special power of attorney to the DFA in Manila on October 7.

?It is so sad to note that it took time for our government officials to act on our request. The police investigation here was over and the court already made a ruling last September. How come the repatriation proceeding has not been started yet? This is injustice. It is not fair,? Serapion said.

Cestina, a mother of five, was the sole breadwinner of the family since her husband, a diabetic, could no longer work.

Philippine Consul General to the UAE Noel Servigon said on Friday that the embassy had already asked the DFA for the necessary documents so repatriation proceedings could begin.