By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
As part of the government’s continuing efforts to ensure the safety of Filipinos overseas, concerned agencies lead the way in the ongoing repatriation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) caught in the middle of the regional conflict in the Middle East.
After the arrival of 317 OFWs and 26 dependents aboard a government chartered flight at Villamor Air Base on Monday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. extended a warm welcome to the repatriated migrant workers that came from Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
These repatriates expressed relief after crossing land borders and undergoing various challenges as they were assisted by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and other Philippine embassies in the Gulf states.
Upon their arrival in the Philippines, they were provided with prompt interventions to ensure that they would return to their families safely and are able to start anew in their respective hometowns.
Meanwhile, the DMW said that it will continue with evacuating Filipinos caught in the crosshairs of the conflict as it keeps a close eye on further developments in the Middle East.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said in a statement, “Tuloy-tuloy lang po ang pagsasagawa ng charter flights ng pamahalaan para sa mga Pilipino, lalo na ang mga OFWs at kanilang mga dependents na nagnanais umuwi sa bansa bunsod ng sitwasyon sa Gitnang Silangan.”
Such efforts are in line with the Chief Executive’s directive to ensure a whole-of-government approach in response to the various scenarios arising out of the Middle East conflicts and its repercussions on the country and the citizenry.
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