DMW: 200 OFWs returning from Saudi

MANILA, Philippines — Up to 200 “runaway” overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) will soon be repatriated from Saudi Arabia, the Department of Migrant Workers said yesterday.

According to DMW, the OFWs have their exit visas and are just waiting for their plane tickets from their agencies and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

Migrant Workers Undersecretary Jainal Rasul encouraged the OFWs to take advantage of the grace period granted by the Saudi Arabian government to correct their legal status.

Runaway domestic workers are those who have previously been reported as absentees.

Rasul said runaways were given until Nov. 10 to correct their legal status through automated procedures in the Musaned, the official platform of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development of Saudi Arabia for household services and home employment program.

There are over 100 runaway domestic workers in Riyadh and Jeddah while there are 54 in Al Khobar who are awaiting repatriation.

Meanwhile, the DMW said it has not received any repatriation request from Filipinos affected by the strong earthquake in Myanmar.

The DMW said the quake-affected OFWs only requested assistance in reconstructing lost employment documents.

Financial assistance was also provided to 69 OFWs.