MORE than 1,400 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as well as their dependents have already been brought home from the Middle East, where hostilities continue to escalate among neighboring states.
In a statement, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said there are a total of 1,420 OFWs that have been repatriated since the war began in the Gulf region.
"The government continues to have flights for Filipinos, especially OFWs and their dependents, who wish to return home due to the situation in the Middle East," said Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac.
These, it said, include OFWs, dependents, and stranded Filipinos that have been brought home via several commercial flights and three other chartered flights of the Philippine government.
Not yet included in the total are the more than 300 additional OFWs from the Middle East that arrived home on Monday on board a chartered flight of the Philippine government from Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
In a statement, the Department disclosed that 317 OFWs and 26 of their dependents arrived on board Philippine Airlines PR8502 at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City.
"A total of 343 OFWs and their dependents have been repatriated from various parts of the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar, amid the ongoing regional crisis," said the DMW.
Of the total, 108 OFWs came from the Saudi Arabia, 89 from Kuwait, 66 from Bahrain, and 54 from Qatar.
Dependents, meanwhile, came from Bahrain (13), Kuwait (10), Qatar (2), and Saudi Arabia (1).
Prior to their repatriation, it said the OFWs were provided with temporary hotel accommodations prior to departure, while ensuring organized and secure travel arrangements back to the Philippines.
Upon their arrival, the DMW said repatriated OFWs and their dependents and next-of-kin were provided temporary accommodation, transportation assistance including domestic flight facilitation, psycho-social counselling, food assistance, reintegration services, and special financial assistance.
"We aim to provide prompt assistance to Filipinos affected by the Middle East crisis and to ensure that government services are extended to them in every way at all times," said the DMW. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)