Over 300 Pinoys return from Bahrain, Saudi

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March 16, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 341 Filipinos from Saudi Arabia and Bahrain arrived yesterday on the second government-arranged chartered flight in the repatriation efforts for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by unrest in the Middle East.

The Philippine Airlines flight carrying 328 OFWs and 13 dependents landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 at around 7 a.m.

Upon arrival, the returning OFWs received government assistance, including hotel accommodation, medical checkups, meals, transportation to their home provinces and financial aid.

The returning Filipinos came from Al Khobar, Dammam and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia and from Bahrain, and traveled by land to cross the border before boarding the flight to Manila.

Last Saturday, 26 OFWs and nine family members also arrived aboard a Qatar Airways flight at NAIA Terminal 3 from the Gulf state.

Overall, the government has assisted 1,656 stranded and repatriated Filipinos affected by the Middle East crisis from March 5 to 15. The figure includes 1,350 OFWs and 306 dependents.

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the government is prioritizing workers located in high-risk areas, those who are ill and those with humanitarian concerns while arranging their safe return to the Philippines.

The Department of Migrant Workers and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration were asked by recruitment agencies and migration expert Manny Geslani to also arrange repatriation for OFWs in Lebanon who are at risk in the war between Israel and Hezbollah. — Rudy Santos