OVERSEAS Filipino workers (OFWs) from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait on Saturday returned to the Philippines amid government repatriation efforts because of ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
In a statement on Sunday, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said a total of 149 OFWs arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 over the weekend, composed of 112 from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and 37 from Kuwait.
Of this, 38 OFWs from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia reached Manila on Saturday evening aboard Qatar Airways Flight QR 928. They were followed by 37 from Kuwait and an additional 74 Filipinos from Riyadh.
Drone and missile strikes have increased in the region. The international airport of Riyadh was temporarily closed after a Houthi drone strike killed 14 people and injured 300 others, including seven.
A Filipino was killed on Thursday due to an explosion aboard an oil producer tanker in the Persian Gulf. Initial reports suggest the blast was due to a drone attack, but authorities have yet to verify the cause of the incident. — Francessca S. Abalos