343 Filipinos repatriated from Saudi Arabia via gov’t chartered flight

The Philippine government repatriated 343 Filipinos from Saudi Arabia on Sunday through a government-funded chartered flight as part of ongoing efforts to assist overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by tensions in the Middle East.

The flight, operated by Philippine Airlines, arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 carrying 328 OFWs and 13 children from Riyadh, Al-Khobar, Kuwait and Bahrain.

Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the chartered flight is the second organized by the government to bring home Filipinos requesting repatriation.

The repatriation is funded through the emergency fund of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and forms part of the government’s “whole-of-government” response to assist Filipinos abroad.

Cacdac said several agencies have been mobilized to support returning workers, including the Department of Health and Department of Social Welfare and Development, which provide medical assistance, psychosocial support and reintegration services.

OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan said many of the repatriates were distressed workers who requested government assistance to return home.

She added that the government has already helped nearly 1,000 OFWs return through chartered and commercial flights, with more repatriation efforts expected in the coming days.