The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has given the Philippines until next week to repatriate the remains of OFWs from the said country after the DOLE requested for an extension.
Due to the number of protocols that are needed to be implemented, the remains are unlikely to be brought home before July 4.
“May mga delay, maraming protocol from the Saudi Government, from the Ministry of Health, from the hospitals where the dead bodies (are)… Pero maiuuwi din natin sila (There are delays, there are many protocols from the Saudi Government, from the Ministry of Health, from the hospitals where the dead bodies [are]…But we will fly them home), DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III said.
Bello assured they are now coordinating with the country on the extension and to ensure the remains will not be buried.
Meanwhile, Bello expressed gratitude for the Php 5 billion additional budget granted by the government. This will be a help in the continuous free repatriation of overseas Filipinos and to support the AKAP program.
72,000 OFWs have been repatriated so far from various countries, while 90,000 are waiting to be brought back to the country in the coming days. – Report from Louisa Erispe
