Six OFWs from Iran arrive safely in PH
Six overseas Filipino workers (OFW) repatriated from Iran amid its conflict with Israel arrived safely in the Philippines on Saturday morning, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said.
The OFWs — five who worked as shrimp hatchery technicians in Iran and one domestic worker from Dubai who accompanied her employer to Iran as a tourist — arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City.
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan, Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega, and DMW Assistant Secretary Venecio Legaspi welcomed the OFWs.
The repatriated workers were also met by the MIA Medical Team as well as a social welfare officer of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
The OFWs boarded an Emirates flight to Manila. "The repatriation was made possible through the efforts of the Philippine Embassy in Tehran, led by Ambassador Roberto Manalo, in close coordination with the DMW and OWWA," the DMW said.
The repatriated OFWs were given financial assistance by the DMW, OWWA, and DSWD.
The MIA Medical Team also provided them with food and medical services.
The OWWA will give the OFWs temporary hotel accommodations and domestic flights back to their home provinces.
The DMW said two more OFWs from Iran are expected to arrive on Saturday night.
"This group marks the first batch of Filipinos repatriated from Iran following the June 13 Israel-Iran conflict," the DMW said.
President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Monday tasked government offices to take the necessary steps to ensure the safe and orderly return of Filipino workers who wish to avail themselves of voluntary repatriation.
In a statement, Marcos said the government is already processing over 200 requests for repatriation and ''we are moving quickly to bring them home while others have opted to remain at work.''
''I urge our fellow Filipinos to coordinate with our embassies in Tel Aviv and in Tehran. Please follow their guidance, inform them of your situation, and do not hesitate to ask for assistance,'' Marcos said.
The Philippine government raised crisis alert level 3 in Israel and Iran on June 20, urging Filipinos in the area to avail of voluntary repatriation.
Crisis level 3 or voluntary repatriation phase is imposed by the Philippine government on countries with deteriorating security conditions.
At least 30,000 workers, mostly caregivers, are in Israel, and more than 1,000 are in Iran.
Tensions heightened between Israel and Iran on June 13 after Israel struck nuclear and military targets Tehran with missiles. According to an Israeli military official, Iran had enough material to make 15 nuclear bombs within days. Iran retaliated, then both countries traded missile attacks. The US also bombed Iran nuclear sites on June 21, and Iran thereafter fired missiles at an American base in Qatar on June 23. A ceasefire between Israel and Iran was announced by US President Donald Trump. —KG, GMA Integrated News
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