By Darryl John Esguerra
MANILA – A total of 342 Filipinos safely returned to the Philippines on Sunday morning through the government’s second chartered repatriation flight from the Middle East.
The flight, operated by Philippine Airlines, landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 in Parañaque City at around 7 a.m.
Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration head Patricia Yvonne Caunan, Department of Health Undersecretary Gloria Balboa, and representatives from other government agencies welcomed the returning Filipinos.
The returning Filipinos, 328 of them overseas Filipino workers, were provided with assistance, including temporary hotel accommodation, medical checkups, food, and transportation to their respective provinces.
They will also receive financial assistance from the government.
The flight is the second charter operation conducted as part of the government’s action plan to accelerate assistance and evacuation efforts for Filipinos affected by ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
The repatriates came from Al Khobar, Dammam and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, as well as Bahrain, and traveled by land across borders before boarding the charter flight bound for Manila.
The Philippine government has been coordinating with host countries and international partners to assist Filipinos seeking repatriation as tensions in the region continue to affect overseas workers. (PNA)
