Nearly 500 Filipinos from Kuwait and Abu Dhabi arrived in the Philippines on Friday as part of the government’s ongoing repatriation efforts amid rising tensions in the Middle East.
Government officials welcomed 134 Filipinos from Kuwait and 342 from Abu Dhabi upon their arrival.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac said returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) will receive around ₱40,000 in financial assistance, along with access to job matching programs to support their reintegration.
Cacdac said these efforts will be implemented in coordination with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and local government units, following the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to expand livelihood support for returning workers.
He added that more than 2,200 Filipinos in the region are still awaiting repatriation, noting that the figure remains a “live count.”
Meanwhile, 115 Filipinos from Qatar are expected to arrive at NAIA Terminal 3.
As of latest data, around 4,700 Filipinos have already been repatriated from the Middle East through government-chartered flights.
Cacdac also noted a decline in OFW deployment to the region due to the ongoing conflict.
The Department of Migrant Workers has also coordinated with its labor attaché in Lebanon following recent airstrikes. While no Filipinos have been reported injured, the government remains on alert as tensions persist.
