Riyadh is currently hosting at least 179 overseas Filipino workers from Bahrain and Kuwait as the Philippine government prepares to send home another batch of repatriates amid the ongoing Middle East conflict.
The Department of Migrant Workers reported Thursday that 2,099 OFWs and their dependents have already been brought back to the Philippines since the unrest began.
Monday’s flight will mark the first time workers from four countries — Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia — are being consolidated onto a single government charter. The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration described the arrangement as a milestone in the ongoing operations.
“Ito ang kauna-unahang pagkakataon na OFWs mula sa apat na bansa ang sabay-sabay na isasakay sa iisang charter flight bilang bahagi ng repatriation operations ng pamahalaan,” OWWA said.
Of the 179 currently staged in Riyadh, 80 came from Bahrain and 99 from Kuwait. They are set to join repatriates from Qatar and Saudi Arabia before the flight departs on March 23.
The Monday departure will be the fourth repatriation batch since the conflict escalated.
