At A Glance
- The group's flight to Manila was initially grounded due to the closure of Qatari airspace amid external attacks but Cacdac said the plane finally departed early morning of June 24 the moment the flights resumed.
The national government brought home a total of 31 overseas Filipino workers as part of the ongoing repatriation amid the armed conflict between Israel and Iran in the Middle East, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the 31 OFWs that arrived on Tuesday night, June 24, were composed of 26 Filipino workers from Israel, three from Jordan, one from Palestine, and one from Qatar.
The repatriated OFWs were accompanied by Cacdac and Assistant Secretary Veneciao Legaspi from Amman, Jordan.
The group’s flight to Manila was initially grounded due to the closure of Qatari airspace amid external attacks but Cacdac said the plane finally departed early morning of June 24 the moment the flights resumed.
“We experienced flight delays due to airspace restrictions but what’s really important is that we are here at home, safe and sound,” Cacdac said.
He said all the repatriates were provided with immediate P150,000 financial support from the DMW and OWWA, along with airport assistance, including temporary shelter or onward transportation to their respective provinces.
Department of Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, who was among those who welcomed the OFWs at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) said they will provide psychosocial counseling and medical assistance.
“The DOH will provide medical services and assistance to one cancer patient-repatriate, and one pregnant OFW, including mental wellness check-up to ensure their overall well-being,” Herbosa said.
The DMW, through its National Reintegration Center for OFWs, will also assist the repatriates in establishing their livelihood ventures or finding alternative employment opportunities, in addition to the free skills training vouchers from TESDA and business training from DTI.
The DMW accounts for 311 requests for repatriation from OFWs in Israel, of which 50 are now set to return home soon.