DMW eyes 7 Pinoy workers’ repatriation amid Houthi attacks

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) will provide financial, medical and repatriation assistance to seven Filipino workers injured in attacks attributed to Houthi forces in Saudi Arabia, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said Friday.

In a radio interview, Cacdac assured government support for the affected overseas Filipino workers, particularly those undergoing hospital treatment.

“We have assistance being provided to the seven injured individuals,” Cacdac said. “Four of them have been discharged from the hospital, but aside from financial assistance, we also have ongoing assistance for their medical treatment.”

He added that three of the injured workers remain in intensive care. Two are scheduled for transfer to regular hospital wards, while the remaining patient is in critical condition following two successful surgeries.

The workers’ return to the Philippines will depend on their medical progress and travel clearances, though Cacdac emphasized that the government aims to bring them home as soon as possible.

“They need to be with their loved ones,” he said.

The DMW and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) are assisting Filipinos whose flights to Riyadh were canceled or diverted due to regional security concerns and the temporary closure of the Riyadh airport.

OWWA administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan’s team is providing accommodation and booking assistance to workers stranded in Manila bound for Riyadh, while assisting passengers whose flights were diverted to Jeddah.

Meantime, Cacdac disclosed that the DMW is offering free airfare and repatriation support for OFWs stranded in Riyadh who need to return to the Philippines, including those who have completed their employment contracts or require leave before their terms end.