At least 50 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have been stranded at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) this week as the country continues to experience severe weather conditions triggered by successive typhoons and the southwest monsoon.
According to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), dozens of OFWs either missed deployment flights abroad or were unable to return to their provinces after their flights were cancelled or delayed due to persistent heavy rains and flooding.
“These are OFWs who were about to leave the country but experienced delays or cancellations of their flights due to continuous rains brought by the southwest monsoon,” the DMW stated on social media. They added that several others were also on their way home when their flights were affected.
The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) stepped in to support the affected workers. Twenty OFWs were housed in nearby hotels in Pasay City, while 30 others staying at the OFW Lounge in NAIA Terminal 3 were also given temporary accommodations.
DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac personally visited the stranded workers to check on their situation and ensure they receive appropriate assistance while awaiting new flight schedules.
The disruption follows the onslaught of typhoons Crising, Dante, and Emong, which brought days of nonstop rain and flooding across multiple regions in the country.
