EIGHTY-ONE overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) safely returned home from Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Saturday, March 7, 2026, amid the continued escalation of hostilities in the Middle East.
In a social media post, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) reported that 81 OFWs arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City via Emirates Airlines Flight EK 336.
"Eighty-one stranded OFWs arrived this morning on board Emirates Airlines," said the DMW.
The Department noted that the returning OFWs were not among those, who sought to be repatriated from the Middle East.
"They already have booked tickets and are scheduled to return to the Philippines for vacation, while others have connecting flights from Dubai to Manila when they were stranded due to the unrest in the Middle East," said the DMW.
It said the returning OFWs were provided by the government with immediate assistance, such as food and transportation back to their provinces.
The DMW said psychosocial assistance and medical help were also provided to OFWs in need.
Data provided by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration showed that there were 236 OFWs stranded in international transit hubs due to the Middle East crisis. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)