363 OFWs return from Middle East amid conflict

A total of 363 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families from the Middle East arrived in Manila on Wednesday as part of the government’s repatriation efforts amid the ongoing conflict, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said.

In separate Facebook posts, the DMW reported the arrival of two batches of OFWs from countries in the Middle East on early Wednesday morning.

The first group of 328 OFWs and their dependents arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 at 5:30 a.m. aboard a special flight of Kuwait Airways.

They were welcomed by personnel of the DMW, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and other government agencies.

The OFWs were immediately given transportation, shelter, and financial assistance, medical assessment, as well as food upon their arrival.

The OWWA said the special flights of Kuwait Airways will continue as part of the government’s repatriation efforts amid the ongoing hostilities.

Minutes later at around 6 a.m., another batch of 35 OFWs from Dubai and Lebanon arrived at the NAIA Terminal 3.

Of this figure, 21 OFWs and three dependents came from Dubai and 11 OFWs came from Lebanon.

On Tuesday night, 125 OFWs and their families from Dubai also arrived at the NAIA Terminal 3 via an Emirates flight. — JMA, GMA News