Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 19)— Thirty-eight more distressed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) returned to the country from Lebanon and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on Tuesday morning, in time for Christmas.
The OFWs arrived in separate flight batches, 19 from Lebanon arrived in the morning at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) PR 685 Terminal-1 on board a Philippine Airlines flight.
The said Filipinos who recently returned to the Philippines from Lebanon have availed of the voluntary repatriation amid the continuous deadly war in the Middle Eastern country.
The government vowed to provide them with various forms of financial, medical, and psychosocial assistance as well as training and capability enhancement options.
“They will be provided with various forms of financial, medical and psychosocial assistance as well as training and capability enhancement options from the government agencies tasked by the President to help them out,” the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said in a separate statement Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the OWWA said that the other distressed OFWs from Abu Dhabi arrived early afternoon at the NAIA PR659 Terminal-1.
In an interview with CNN Philippines, an OFW elder from Lebanon expressed her happiness since she can now be with her family, especially during Christmas time.
“Kasi may giyera doon kaya minabuting umuwi na kami, iniwan na namin, hindi na kami babalik. Plano namin is mag-stay na lang, kung anong ikakabuhay,” the OFW told CNN Philippines.
[Translation: Because there is war there I just decided to return home. We left our jobs, we will not be going back there. We plan to stay here in the Philippines where we are safer.]
“Sa ilang taon na nawala ako dito sa ating bansa, masaya ako dahil nakarating ako nang maayos, nakabalik na ako lalo na Pasko, masaya,” she added.
[Translation: It’s been so many years since I left our country, and I’m so happy that I have returned safely, especially since it’s the Christmas season.]
Aside from the given assistance, the OWWA also said that all of the OFWs who arrived were given the “Pamaskong Salubong” or Christmas gifts.
CNN Philippines’ Henry Dimatulac contributed to this story.
