DMW: 299 Filipinos affected by Middle East conflict return home

MANILA, March 5 ------ A total of 299 Filipinos affected by the escalating tensions in the Middle East safely returned home, the Department of Migrant Workers said. The DMW said the group included some individuals who were “returning to the Philippines for their safety and security as advised by their employers,” while others were “OFWs who finished their contract, and some are returning home for good and personal reasons.”

The group arrived at the NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay City from Dubai via Emirates Airlines Flight 336, the agency said. “We are thankful that you are all safe. Also, we are much thankful sa Emirates, sa UAE government sa pag-aalaga sa inyo, sa pag-prepare ng flight to Manila as we provide support,” said Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, who welcomed the returnees at the airport.

The DMW said the returnees received financial assistance, accommodation and transport services, medical assistance, and psychosocial support. More flights have resumed six days into the war triggered by US-Israeli attacks on Iran. Aviation analytics company Cirium said that of the more than 36,000 flights scheduled to fly to or from the Middle East, more than 20,000 had been cancelled since Saturday.

As airlines resumed limited flights out of hubs including Dubai and Riyadh, governments also chartered planes to bring home citizens affected by the turmoil, which stranded tens of thousands of travelers worldwide. But as of Wednesday, Cirium data indicated that air traffic was virtually completely grounded in Qatar and Bahrain. In Israel, nearly three-quarters of flights were cancelled and just over two-thirds in the UAE.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com