Philippines repatriates 117 workers from Saudi Arabia

A total of 117 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport on October 25, 2026, as part of a voluntary repatriation program driven by regional tensions in the Middle East. The workers arrived via Gulf Air and Qatar Airways flights following overland travel from various Saudi cities to alternative departure points like Dammam and Al Qassim.

The repatriation effort is being coordinated by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) under the government’s UPLIFT initiative. Upon arrival, returnees are provided with medical evaluations, financial assistance, temporary accommodation, and transportation to their home provinces.

As of October 26, 2026, an additional 39 workers are expected to arrive in Manila. This would bring the cumulative total of assisted OFWs and dependents to 422 since the start of the current repatriation window on October 19.