A total of 154 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) from Kuwait, along with 12 of their dependents, have safely returned to the Philippines under the government’s ongoing repatriation program amid tensions in the Middle East.

In a statement, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said the group arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 aboard a Gulf Air flight on Thursday, April 9.

According to the agency, the repatriated workers initially crossed from Kuwait into Dammam, Saudi Arabia, before being assisted for their onward journey to Manila. The coordinated operation was supported by the Migrant Workers Office under the DMW, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait.

Upon arrival, the returnees were received by a whole-of-government team led by the DMW, which provided immediate assistance, including documentation processing, transportation support, food packs, and financial aid.

DMW Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac assured continuing government support for overseas workers seeking to return home.

“We will continue to bring home those who feel that they need to come home,” Cacdac said.

Earlier reports showed that 166 OFWs and their dependents from Kuwait also arrived in Manila on Thursday night, separate from the latest batch.

The DMW added that more than 3,700 OFWs and their dependents have already been repatriated from various posts in the Middle East as of April 6, 2026, through government-funded chartered flights, as tensions continue in the region.