Manila: The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) announced that 70 more overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their dependents returned to the Philippines on Thursday. This repatriation aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive to enhance efforts in bringing back Filipino workers amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

According to Philippines News Agency, the DMW shared on social media that the latest group of OFWs and their dependents arrived on two separate flights from Qatar and Kuwait. The department emphasized that the safety, welfare, and orderly return of Filipino workers caught in the Middle East turmoil remain a government priority.

The department assured that immediate government assistance and support services were provided to the returnees as they reunited with their families. Among the repatriates was Rowena Baya, a domestic worker from Kuwait, who expressed her relief and gratitude to the Philippine government for facilitating her return home. She noted the swift assistance she received and her happiness at being able to see her family in the Philippines.

A DMW team, led by Undersecretary Dominique Rubia-Tutay and Assistant Secretary Venecio Legaspi, traveled to the Middle East on Wednesday to aid in the government's third chartered flight for more OFWs seeking repatriation. Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac instructed the officials to ensure a smooth and secure repatriation process.

DMW data indicate that since March 5, more than 1,700 OFWs and their dependents have been successfully repatriated through a comprehensive government effort.