170 Filipinos from Bahrain return to the Philippines amid Mideast conflict

A total of 170 overseas Filipinos have safely returned to the country from Bahrain, including 120 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and 43 relatives, under the government's repatriation program.

The returning OFWs crossed from Bahrain to Dammam, Saudi Arabia to return to the Philippines with the cooperation of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Philippine Embassy, in accordance with the instruction of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for a country team approach in the repatriation of Filipinos affected by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

They arrived on Friday morning, 17 April, aboard a commercial flight from Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

The returnees were provided with initial assistance, including financial aid, medical assistance, temporary accommodation before heading to their respective provinces, and the reintegration support they need for their productive return to the country.

‎On Thursday night, 16 April, another 127 Filipinos—composed of 96 OFWs, 28 dependents, and 3 tourists—have been repatriated from Dubai aboard the Emirates Flight EK334.

Their arrival follows an earlier flight from Riyadh (via Cebu Pacific Flight 5J741), as part of the government's ongoing repatriation efforts amid the ongoing tensions in the region.

As of 17 April, a total of 6,605 OFWs have been repatriated by the government. Of this number, 6,366 are government funded (5,023 OFWs and 1,343 dependents).

Meanwhile, 495 out of the 8,844 seafarers within the vicinity of the Persian Gulf have been repatriated by the government.

On the other hand, 20 out of the 819 seafarers within the vicinity Oman of the Gulf of Oman have safely returned to the country.