Nearly 100 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) this weekend as the government intensified repatriation efforts for citizens caught in Middle East tensions and human trafficking rings in Southeast Asia.

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) reported that 10 workers from Dubai arrived early Sunday morning, followed by 28 workers and their relatives from Qatar on Saturday night. 

These repatriations were conducted under a “one-country team approach,” involving the Migrant Workers Office, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and Philippine consulate offices.

In a separate arrival, 59 Filipinos identified as victims of human trafficking in Myanmar landed at Terminal 3 aboard Thai Airways Flight TG 624. They were accompanied by Thailand Labor Attaché Don Pangcog.

The return of the 97 individuals follows a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ensure the safe and dignified return of Filipinos in distress.

Upon arrival, the repatriates received a “whole-of-government” assistance package. OWWA and the DMW provided financial aid, temporary hotel accommodations and transportation to their home provinces.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development offered psychosocial support, while the Manila International Airport Authority’s medical team provided health screenings.

Meantime, the DMW stated that those returning from the Middle East were among those most affected by the ongoing regional conflict, while the group from Myanmar was rescued from fraudulent employment schemes.