MANILA – A total of 707 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and 49 dependents have been repatriated from the United Arab Emirates under the UAE government’s amnesty program, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

On Friday, the 11th batch of repatriates, consisting of 49 OFWs and two dependents, arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport aboard Philippine Airlines flight PR 659. The amnesty program, which began on September 1, was initially set to end on October 31, but after appeals from migrant groups, it has been extended through December 31.

The program allows overstaying foreigners in the UAE, including Filipinos, to leave the country without facing legal penalties. It covers all visa types, including expired tourist and residency visas, but excludes those with pending criminal charges. Children born in the UAE without proper documentation can also benefit from the amnesty.

The DMW continues to encourage overstaying Filipinos in the UAE to avail of the program before the December deadline. Returning workers can re-enter the UAE in the future, provided they have the appropriate visa.

ia/mnm

By Liezelle Soriano

MANILA — A total of 442 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and 28 dependents have been repatriated from Lebanon, according to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).

This includes nine OFWs who arrived on Saturday (October 12, 2024). One of them was immediately transported to the hospital by an Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) ambulance due to a medical condition.

Additionally, 37 more Filipinos are scheduled to depart from Beirut today, bound for Istanbul with the assistance of the Canadian government.

Before their departure, Philippine Ambassador to Lebanon Raymond Balatbat saw them off at the Beirut airport.

Upon arrival in Istanbul, they will be welcomed by Ambassador Henry Bensurto and officials from the Philippine Consulate. They are expected to arrive in Manila by Monday evening.

“The government continues to work tirelessly to bring more Filipinos home, ensuring their safety amidst the ongoing situation in the region,” the PCO said.

Ia/mnm

By Liezelle Soriano

MANILA — The remains of three Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who died in a fire incident in Kuwait will arrive in the Philippines on Monday afternoon, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said.

“Under the directive of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr., and with the cooperation of the DFA, DMW, and OWWA, the remains of three OFWs who perished in a fire in the Al-Mangaf area of Kuwait City will arrive tomorrow afternoon, June 17, 2024,” OWWA said in a statement on Sunday, June 16, 2024.

OWWA Administrator Arnell Ignacio instructed the OWWA Kuwait Post to expedite the necessary documentation, including the letter of acceptance from the next of kin (NOK), to ensure the swift repatriation of the OFWs’ remains.

Additionally, Ignacio directed the Regional Welfare Offices to immediately reach out to the families of the deceased to offer support and assistance.

OWWA also affirmed that they are addressing the needs of other affected OFWs and their families in the aftermath of the incident.

(el Amigo/mnm)

By Junex Doronio

MANILA — So far, no one from among the 150,000 Filipinos in Taiwan, including the 66,475 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), was reported injured or dead following the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck Taipei on Wednesday (3 April 2024) morning.

In Hualien where a building reportedly collapsed, Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) deputy resident representative Alice Visperas said no one from the more than 5,000 Filipinos based there was among the casualties.

“Sa awa ng Diyos ay maayos naman ang ating mga kababayan. Wala pa tayong reported as of now na any injuries or casualties among Filipinos, as reported by our Filipino community leaders,” Visperas said in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB.

“Based on our monitoring in Taipei and the reports from our field offices in Taichung and Kaohsiung, and the reports coming from our Filipino communities in Taiwan, there are no Filipino casualties or injuries in the aftermath of the earthquake and the aftershocks,” MECO chairman Silvestre “Bebot” Bello III also said in a statement.

For its part, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said in its Facebook post that it is monitoring the situation of OFWs in Taiwan following the earthquake.

“The Taiwan MWOs (Migrant Workers’ Offices) are prepared to provide immediate assistance to affected OFWs as necessary,” the DMW said.

(el Amigo/MNM)

By Junex Doronio

FOLLOWING THE STATEMENT of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia assured him that the settlement of the unpaid salaries of some 10,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) was already being processed, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) officer-in-charge Hans Leo Cacdac on Wednesday said they will continue following up its release.

To recall, in November last year, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman committed to allocate some 2 billion riyals for the unpaid salaries of some 10,000 overseas Filipinos employed by construction companies that declared bankruptcy in 2015 and 2016.

“From our talks with our own counterparts there…we were also informed that the Ministry of Finance is on board to take care of the financial matters because this would involve disbursement of funds,” Cacdac disclosed when interviewed on CNN Philippines.

Migrante Philippines chair Arman Hernando had proposed  that the government advance the unpaid salaries while awaiting the money transfer from the Saudi government.

“Kung talagang seryoso sila na ibigay na ‘yung unpaid salaries ng mga Saudi OFWs – matagal na nga po naming panawagan diyan eh – abonohan muna nila…. Sinasabi ni Pangulong Marcos na pinahahalagahan niya ang sakripisyo ng ating mga OFWs. Eh di unahin na nilang bayaran, at i-reimburse na lang nila kapag nagbayad ang Saudi Arabia sa kanila,” Hernando said earlier.

Last March, the DMW said it would provide P10,000 in aid to each worker waiting for the Saudi government to fulfill its promise.

Maharlika NuMedia learned that the promised funding to the OFWs would come from the DMW which has a budget of P15.8 billion for 2023 and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

“It’s just hard to pin down a timeline at this point because the Saudi processes still continue. In principle, we respect the Saudi processes, and at the same time we’ll continue to persist in terms of coordination and follow-ups with the Saudi government,” Cacdac explained.

(ai/mnm)