260 Pinoys repatriated from Kuwait arrive in Manila

A fifth batch of 260 Filipino workers arrived from Kuwait on Monday morning, several days after Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III announced plans for a total deployment ban to the Gulf country.

PAL flight carrying 260 OFWs repatriated from kuwait has arrived in Manila @gmanews @gmanews pic.twitter.com/S6NOEKhiYW

— Bernadette Reyes (@bernadettereyes) February 12, 2018

In his report on Dobol B sa News TV,  Mao dela Cruz said the Filipinos arrived aboard Philippine Airlines flight PR669 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 around 8 a.m.

Another batch of repatriated OFWs from Kuwait arrived at NAIA Terminal 1 at 10 a.m.

Another batch of repatriated OFWs from Kuwait arrives at NAIA terminal 1. | via @bernadettereyes pic.twitter.com/RPI8AJoA42

— GMA News (@gmanews) February 12, 2018

A repatriation team from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) led by Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac, Deputy Administrator Arnel Ignacio, and Department of Foreign Affairs Executive Director for Migrant Workers Affairs Atty. Raul Dado welcomed the returning Filipinos.

Filipino workers from areas outside Metro Manila will stay at the OWWA halfway home until transportation back to their home provinces could be arranged.

Returning workers received a P5,000 cash grant and a chance to avail the government's Balik Pilipinas, Balik Hanapbuhay program, a repatriation program that will give them access to livelihood training and start-up capital.

In another report, Super Radyo dzBB's Tuesday Niu said that Malacañang will allow Filipinos already working in Kuwait to stay if they have no labor disputes.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will study if vacationing workers in the Philippines will be allowed to return to Kuwait.

A total of 441 Filipinos have returned to the Philippines from Kuwait so far.

An estimated 250,000 documented Filipinos currently work in Kuwait as OCWs (overseas contract workers). — RSJ, GMA News