More than 300 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families have safely returned to the Philippines from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

The government’s fifth chartered flight, which carried 349 repatriates — including 222 OFWs and their 78 dependents, as well as 49 stranded Filipinos — arrived at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City around 7 p.m., according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

The repatriates were warmly welcomed by their families and personnel from the Department of Migrant Workers and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), which provided financial and medical assistance, transportation allowances to the provinces and temporary accommodation, in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Presidential Management Staff, Department of Health, Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Immigration, Bureau of Quarantine, Department of Social Welfare (DSWD) and Development and the Philippine Air Force.

A total of 2,910 OFWs from the Middle East have already returned to the Philippines. Of this number, 2,120 were able to go home via five government-chartered flights.

In coordination with the DMW, OWWA, DSWD, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Trade and Industry and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, assistance will be provided to returning OFWs to help them find new opportunities through skills training, job fairs and business capital.