The Philippine National Police announced Saturday that it had ordered officers from its Special Investigation Team to provide assistance to the Philippine government’s efforts to bring home affected Filipinos in the Middle East.

Police Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez the deployment was an effort to supplement the initiatives of the Department of Migrant Workers and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

Aside from repatriation efforts, Nartatez said that his officers would also conduct assessments on Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who may be victims of human trafficking and other illegal recruitment activities.

“Hindi natin pababayaan ang ating mga kababayan na umuwi nang walang suporta mula sa pamahalaan,” he expressed.

Through a forum this Saturday, DMW Undersecretary Bernard Olalia reiterated that the department was actively conducting repatriation efforts noting that it had 1,400 OFWs set to return to the country after airspace restrictions have been lifted.

Olalia also claimed that the DMW was looking to safeguard seafarers who may be directly affected by ongoing warfare in the Strait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf which he said were high risk areas.

"Mayroon po tayong advisory na nilabas to continuously monitor our seafarers, report any significant event and invoke, avail, and recognize the right to refuse sail," he explained.