21 OFWs from Israel to arrive in PH on July 3 amid Middle East repatriation efforts
OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan confirmed the arrival and reiterated the government's ongoing commitment to support OFWs affected by regional unrest.
'Tomorrow, 21 OFWs will arrive from Israel, followed by 15 on Saturday, and we're expecting another 28 more soon,' Caunan said during the Bagong Pilipinas public briefing.
Despite over 373 OFWs having reached out to OWWA with repatriation concerns, only 26 individuals have finalized their return to the Philippines so far.
'We've been persistently following up with them,' Caunan added, noting that only 26 have confirmed repatriation despite OWWA's efforts.
She assured the public that even though Israel has lowered its alert level to 2 and implemented a ceasefire, the government is still closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East, especially in countries with large Filipino populations like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, and Kuwait.
Caunan also cited the arrival of eight OFWs from Iran, with more expected to return soon. Returning OFWs receive support that includes medical aid, financial assistance, temporary lodging, and psychosocial services. Among the recent returnees were a pregnant OFW and another battling cancer. Secretary Ted Herbosa of the
Department of Health committed full medical coverage for these cases.
'We're taking care of them. The pregnant OFW will be assisted by the DOH for her childbirth expenses, and the cancer patient will receive free treatment,' Caunan noted.
Many repatriated OFWs are now exploring new opportunities, with interest in entrepreneurship, local and overseas employment, and online jobs.
'We're focused on job matching and skills training. There are 8 million online jobs available, with free training programs to help OFWs qualify,' Caunan said.
The OWWA is working closely with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to facilitate digital training and livelihood assistance for returnees.
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