More human remains of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who died in Saudi Arabia will arrive in the country next week, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced on Tuesday.

DOLE said the remains of the 57 OFWs, who all died from COVID-19, will arrive in Manila on July 28.
According to DOLE, the biggest number will come from Jeddah at 30 bodies, 20 from Riyadh and seven from Al Khobar.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the fallen modern-day heroes will be accorded with the same grand welcome and memorial ceremonies that was accorded to the preceding groups of repatriated deceased workers.
The labor chief added that the homecoming of the remains will follow the same health protocols observed in the first two batches of repatriation where COVID 19 victims were brought directly to crematoriums upon arrival.
“Our government shares the grief of the bereaved families of our dear OFWs. But we continue to seek their understanding to strictly adhere to the protocols for their own good and that of our communities,” Bello said in a statement.
He then thanked the various agencies comprising the interagency committee for the smooth and orderly undertaking in bringing home the OFW remains.
This is the third batch of repatriation being undertaken by an interagency committee initiated by the DOLE.
The government had so far brought home a total of 137 OFWs out of the more than 200 dead OFWs in Saudi Arabia who succumbed to COVID 19 and other causes of death.