The Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia has revealed that 395 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) were repatriated back to the country in less than two months.
Labor Attache Nasser Mustafa said that 59 distressed Pinoys in Ridyadh were recently sent home to the Philippines aboard a Philippine Airlines Flight on Thursday.
The 59 OFWs were the latest batch to receive an exit visa by Saudi’s Ministry of Labor.
The exit visas were granted as part of the agreement during the visit of Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Hans Cacdac last August.
Some 220 more distressed OFWs are still processing to get their exit visas from the Labor Ministry.
Mustafa revealed that five OFWs were not allowed to board the flight because immigration officials found that they have pending police cases.
“Lima po sa kanila ang na offload dahil sa nakita na may police case sila, nahabol ng mga amo nila. Sisikapin po nating maayos ang kanilang mga kaso para makauwi sila sa lalong madalingpanahon,” Mustafa explained.
OWWA shoulders the repatriation of OFWs back to the country including airfare and other financial assistance given to a distressed OFWs.
