DMW: 61 more OFWs repatriated from Riyadh amid Middle East tensions

Sixty-one more overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, have returned to the Philippines after flight cancellations caused by ongoing tensions in the Middle East, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said Monday.

In a social media post, the DMW said the OFWs arrived in the country on Sunday evening, November 8.

The agency said the repatriation was facilitated by the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Riyadh, in coordination with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Philippine Embassy.

“Sa pamamagitan ng Migrant Workers Office sa Riyadh, katuwang ang OWWA at Philippine Embassy, nabigyan ng repatriation assistance ang mga apektadong OFW upang makabalik sa bansa,” the DMW said.

(Through the MWO in Riyadh, in coordination with OWWA and the Philippine Embassy, the affected OFWs were provided repatriation assistance to help them return to the Philippines.)

The DMW said the repatriation was in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directive to ensure the safety and welfare of OFWs affected by the situation in the Middle East.

A total of 804 individuals have so far been repatriated from Riyadh, including 787 OFWs and 17 dependents, according to the DMW. — MCG, GMA News