The Philippine government is arranging two chartered flights to bring home overseas Filipino workers affected by tensions in the Middle East, according to Ferdinand Marcos Jr..
Speaking in New York, Marcos said the easing of airspace restrictions in parts of the region has allowed repatriation efforts to continue. He noted that several commercial flights operated by Emirates have already carried OFWs from Dubai directly to Manila.
The president said one chartered flight will depart from Riyadh to repatriate Filipinos from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain. Another chartered flight will depart from Fujairah to bring home OFWs from Dubai.
The second chartered flight is scheduled to leave on March 13, with arrival in Manila expected either late that evening or early on March 14.
Marcos added that Hans Leo Cacdac of the Department of Migrant Workers will travel to Dubai to assess the situation and provide updates on displaced Filipino workers.
The repatriation operations will also involve the Department of National Defense and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.
Earlier, 16 OFWs from Tel Aviv crossed into Egypt by land and are expected to arrive in Manila on March 11, while another group of 20 OFWs and nine dependents traveled from Dubai to Oman before flying to the Philippines.
Officials said more than 400 Filipinos have already returned home since the conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran escalated in late February.
