Bello: 250 OFWs from Kuwait returning to Philippines
FILE PHOTO: Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III. (Albert Calvelo/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — A total of 250 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Kuwait are set to arrive in the country on Tuesday, August 31, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III disclosed.
“These workers have either finished their contracts or have expiring exit visas and victims of various employment contract-related violations,” Bello said in a statement on Monday.
The chief added that the Department of Labor and Employment is responding to the urgent request for assistance of the migrant workers.
Of the OFWs set to come home, 80 came from the Migrant Workers Overseas Filipino Resource Center while 170 are domestic and company workers.
The migrant workers will return to the Philippines via a Qatar Airways chartered flight arranged by the national government, according to Bello.
Tickets of 50 distressed OFWs were shouldered by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration while the rest were covered by employers.
“They are expected to be in the country at 4:50 p.m. on August 31. Government representatives will be at the airport to welcome them,” Bello said.
Upon arrival at the airport, the returning OFWs will undergo COVID-19 tests pursuant to prevailing health guidelines and will be provided with assistance such as quarantine accommodation and transport services.
For his part, Labor Attaché Nasser Mustafa expressed appreciation to Bello for the repatriation.
“This continuing effort to achieve the country’s first massive repatriation campaign is truly inspired by the government’s commitment to serving our modern-day heroes. I thank Secretary Bello for being at the forefront of this great endeavor,” Mustafa said.
Further, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines has granted the request of the labor agency for the special flight as current travel curbs limit flights coming into the country.
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