At least 299 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Saudi Arabia are scheduled to return to the Philippines from October 19 to 25 amid regional tensions and flight disruptions, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said Sunday.
In a statement, the DMW said the workers have confirmed flight bookings, while arrangements are ongoing for more than 100 other OFWs awaiting alternative routes home from Hail, Al Qassim and Dammam.
The 299 workers are among nearly 400 OFWs receiving assistance from the DMW and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) after their flights in Riyadh were canceled or delayed.
The agencies are coordinating their repatriation through their offices in Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar, in cooperation with the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh and the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah.
While awaiting their flights, the affected OFWs have received food, temporary accommodation, transportation, financial assistance, and medical and psychological services.
The assistance is being provided through the DMW's AKSYON Fund and the OWWA's Emergency Repatriation Fund under the “Saving Lives” component of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) Assistance Program.
The first batch of 34 OFWs is expected to arrive in Manila on Monday, October 19, 2026.
Another 50 workers are also scheduled to depart Saudi Arabia for Manila on the same day.
Meanwhile, DMW Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia to personally meet with affected workers and assess their situation.
