317 OFWs, 26 Dependents Arrive Home as Evacuation Efforts Expand
Source: The Manila Times | Subject: Overseas Filipino workers repatriated from the Middle East
Another batch of Filipinos affected by the Middle East conflict has arrived home, with 317 overseas Filipino workers and 26 dependents landing at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City early Tuesday.
The returnees came from several Gulf states: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar. Their repatriation was handled by the Department of Migrant Workers and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, with Saudi Arabia serving as a key transit hub for evacuation efforts.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. personally welcomed the fourth batch of returnees and oversaw the distribution of assistance, including financial aid, medical support, and psychosocial services. He also joined the send-off for passengers heading onward to the Visayas and Mindanao.
OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan led operations on the ground in Riyadh, while Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said many of the evacuations involved land crossings because airspace in parts of the region had been closed or restricted due to the war.
The government expects around 1,200 more Filipinos to arrive in the coming days by batch. That means the repatriation effort is far from over, but for hundreds of families, at least may happy homecoming na after days of uncertainty.
Source: https://www.manilatimes.net/2026/03/24/news/national/more-pinoys-back-from-middle-east/2305792
