The Philippine government is moving into the next stage of its repatriation program for Filipinos in the United Arab Emirates, with Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac formally announcing the launch of a second phase during a community assembly organized by the Filipino Social Club in Dubai.
Cacdac used the occasion to acknowledge the role of volunteer networks and community leaders in keeping the first phase of operations on track, expressing appreciation to the Filipino Social Club and those who supported displaced workers during the initial round of assisted departures.
Consul General Ambrosio Brian F. Enciso III, speaking on behalf of the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai, urged Filipinos in the UAE to exercise caution in how they engage with information online. He reminded community members to rely only on official government sources, refrain from posting or circulating sensitive photographs and videos connected to the regional conflict, and observe the regulations of their host country.
MWO Labor Attaché Atty. John Rio Bautista presented a rundown of how the first phase unfolded and directed Filipinos seeking hands-on assistance to visit the Migrant Workers Office starting the following day through Tuesday.
Filipino Social Club President Ericson Reyes, whose organization holds the distinction of being the only CDA-licensed Filipino community group in the UAE, recognized the volunteers and grassroots leaders who sustained operations on the ground.
The gathering drew a broad slate of government representatives, including DMW undersecretaries, OWWA officials, PCG Consul Aleah Gica, and staff from the MWO Dubai office.
The second repatriation phase comes as government-chartered flights continue to bring OFWs home from across the Gulf. A Philippine Airlines flight landed at NAIA on March 15 carrying 341 passengers — 328 workers and 13 children — who had been collected from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain, funded through OWWA’s emergency repatriation fund.
