Seventeen distressed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) arrived home from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday afternoon with the help of the Philippine consulate there.

 

The group initially included 20 OFWs, most of them working as housemaids, but three encountered problems with their travel documents, the news site Gulf News reported on Wednesday.

 

A report on dzBB radio early on Wednesday said the 17 arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Tuesday afternoon.

 

“So far this is the biggest group this year. We were able to repatriate them as a group at this time because it’s not the peak season to travel to the Philippines. Airfare is relatively cheaper,” Philippine Consul General to the UAE Benito Valeriano said in the Gulf News report.

 

Gulf News said the group was the third batch to be repatriated this month.

 

An earlier batch of 13 Filipinas returned to the Philippines on August 4.

 

Many of the OFWs said they were grateful to be home although they failed to fulfill their dreams for their families.

 

Labor attaché Delmer Cruz said the OFWs will get P1,000 to P10,000 pesos worth of pre-training and starter kits.

 

The Department of Foreign Affairs' Assistance to Nationals Funds shouldered the cost of the repatriation.

 

Meanwhile, the Gulf News report said more than 80 Filipinas are still awaiting repatriation.

 

They are staying at the Filipino Workers Resource Center, a halfway house for distressed Filipinos. - VVP, GMA News