Philippines repatriates workers from Saudi Arabia amid Middle East tensions

The Department of Migrant Workers and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration repatriated 38 Filipino workers from Saudi Arabia to the Philippines on November 6.

These workers arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 via a Qatar Airways flight. The Philippine government provided the workers with financial assistance, meals, temporary housing, and transportation to help them return to their families.

This action follows a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to prioritize the safety of overseas workers and their relatives affected by regional tensions. The repatriation effort is part of the Saving Lives programme under the UPLIFT initiative. Government agencies plan to continue providing this assistance until November 11, with an additional 290 workers expected to return in the coming days.

The move follows a series of security incidents, including a Houthi attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on October 10. That attack killed 14 people and injured others, including two Filipinos who were placed in intensive care. Between October 19 and October 25, the government assisted 383 workers and their dependents in returning home.