PBBM WELCOMES 343 RETURNING OFWS VIA 4TH CHARTERED FLIGHT FROM CONFLICT-HIT MIDDLE EAST

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday welcomed another batch of repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from the Middle East as part of the government’s continued efforts to bring home Filipinos affected by ongoing tensions in the region.

A total of 343 repatriates — comprising 317 OFWs and 26 dependents from Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia — arrived at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City around 6:30 a.m. aboard a chartered flight operated by flag carrier Philippine Airlines.

President Marcos personally interacted with returning OFWs and their families and oversaw the distribution of assistance and services, including financial assistance, medical support, and psychosocial counseling.

The President was accompanied by several Cabinet officials, including Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian, Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, and OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan.

In an interview, Secretary Cacdac said 234 OFWs came from Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain, while the remaining 109 were repatriated directly from Saudi Arabia.

Cacdac expressed gratitude to the Saudi government for facilitating the transit of Filipinos from neighboring countries, noting that the Kingdom served as a key hub for evacuation efforts.

“Sarado ang airspace in Bahrain and limited or restricted ang airspace sa Kuwait and Qatar. So it was a land-crossing effort. It took, on average, about seven to eight hours to get to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,” Cacdac said.

The returning OFWs were accompanied by OWWA Administrator Caunan, who, according to Cacdac, led on-ground operations in Riyadh to assist Filipinos arriving from land crossings.

Cacdac said the government is preparing to repatriate around 1,200 more Filipinos in the coming days, with two additional chartered flights being eyed from the United Arab Emirates, which hosts around a million OFWs.

Upon their return, the repatriates will receive financial aid and reintegration services, such as livelihood assistance and employment facilitation.

On DMW’s part, Cacdac said they will present available job orders to the OFWs, while the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will also offer local job opportunities to them.

He added that the government will provide hotel accommodation and domestic flight tickets for those returning to the Visayas and Mindanao regions. Free bus transportation will also be provided for those traveling within Luzon.

President Marcos witnessed the send-off of OFWs returning to Visayas and Mindanao, with buses provided by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) transporting them to their designated hotels while waiting for their plane tickets.

The OFWs will also receive additional support from various agencies, including the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Tourism (DOT), and the Department of Agriculture (DA). The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will also provide free reskilling and retooling programs.

More than 1,400 OFWs and 334 dependents have already been repatriated from March 5 to 17. The third government-chartered flight, which arrived on March 18, carried 153 OFWs, 114 dependents, and 50 stranded Filipinos.

President Marcos earlier stressed the importance of “bayanihan” amid the challenges posed by the Middle East conflict and assured Filipinos that the government remains ready to provide support and assistance.