In the spirit of the Christmas season, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration or OWWA hopes to bring home stranded OFWs before December 25.
“Hanggat maari maiuwi natin sila before December 25 kaya naman magkakaroon kami ng free government funded repatriation flights para sa mga OFW,” OWWA Chief Hans Cacdac said.
At least 2,000 to 3,000 OFWs are currently stranded in Saudi Arabia according to OWWA, and 1,000 to 2,000 OFWs stranded in the United Arab Emirates.
The government will also continue to provide hotel quarantine, transportation and other services for OFWs.
The government expects around 80,000 to 100,000 OFWs to return home this month.
OWWA noted this number of OFWs coming home for a holiday vacation is close to pre-pandemic levels and can be attributed in part to the resumption of economic activities in other countries.
