300 OFWs in Dubai sought repatriation, but most of them opted to stay

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Almost 60% of the 300 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) here cancelled their request for repatriation amid the Middle East crisis, and provided no feedback after registering in the hotline provided by the Migrant Workers Office (MWO),  Labor Attaché John Rio Bautista told GMA News Online on Tuesday.

Bautista said those who stayed did not find the situation to be dire, thus there was no need to fly back home.

This developed as 20 OFWs and nine of their dependents were repatriated Tuesday morning through Oman, where the DMW's Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Dubai took the land route to that country. 

Oman shares a border with the UAE through the Hatta-Al Wajajah crossing to the southeast some two hours away. Filipinos who made the land trip were able to board an Oman Air flight en route to the Philippines.

"Sixty percent ng for repatriation mula February 28, nag-cancel kasi hindi pa naman gan'un (kagulo) ang sitwasyon," said Bautista, who heads the Dubai-Northern Emirates MWO. 

(Sixty percent of those up for repatriation since February 28 canceled because the situation is not that bad.)

He said these Filipinos were expected to show up at the Dubai International Airport (DXB).

There was a similar situation in Oman, Bautista said, where airline seats were already booked for expected Filipino repatriates.

"Kagaya niyan, apat sa Oman flight hindi dumating. Thirty-three sana sila. Eh bayad na ticket at Oman visa ng mga iyon," he added.

(Like in this Oman flight, four Filipino passengers did not show up. There were supposed to be 33 of them. We already paid for their tickets and Oman visas.)

He said the Oman land route was considered following flight cancellations at Dubai International Airport (DXB), which was hit by an Iranian drone twice since February 28.

"Unang subok ito (ng land route with Oman). Tinawid muna namin sa border," Bautista said. 

(This is our first attempt at using the land route via Oman. We got them across the border, first.)

He said Emirates Airline's commercial flights EK334 and 336 continue flying, carrying 373 and 256 mostly stranded Filipinos on their flights Sunday and Monday, respectively. Stranded are those caught by airport closure.

Bautista said MWO in Dubai has been busy preparing for the repatriation.

"Tumawag lang sila sa hotline, we'll verify them. They should not have loans or travel bans. Then, we'll process them," he said.

(They should only call the hotline, we'll verify them.)

The hotlines are +971 056 353 5558 for Assistance to Nationals (ATN) and +971 050 558 5536 for the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

The US and Israel started bombing Iran on February 28, prompting Iran to retaliate against the two countries. It later spread its attack to include Gulf states with US bases. — VDV/JMA, GMA Integrated News