00:00The Department of Migrant Workers Department has been working tirelessly coordinating with Gulf states or Arab countries for OFW repatriation
00:07flights amidst intermittent shutdowns of airports and the airspaces in the regions, along with assisting other OFWs with alternative land
00:16routes leading to airports since the war broke out on February 28th.
00:20Our Denise Osorio on the outstanding work by the DMW and the OWWA that has yielded 1,200 repatriates safely
00:28back in the homeland thus far in this report.
00:33Nearly 1,200 OFWs and their dependents have so far received repatriation services and that figure could rise to 2
00:41,000 in the days ahead.
00:43We are expecting mga kababayan natin from Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar and also I think SEC batch from Israel will
00:56also join this charter flight.
00:58And sa utos po ng Presidente at sa kanisek hands ay magdagdag pa kami ng personnel on the ground dahil
01:09yung ating mga kababayan from Kuwait, from Bahrain, from Qatar ay kailangan po natin i-assist, be able to transition
01:20and travel to Manila safely.
01:22While current repatriation operations continue, the OWWA is also preparing a further round of chartered flights for this week.
01:30Two chartered flights are expected to arrive in the Philippines between now and Sunday alongside several commercial flights.
01:37The government has also assured OFWs that assistance will be available both at their transit points and upon return to
01:44the Philippines.
01:45Patuloy po tayo sa pagbigay ng post-repatriation assistance.
01:51Ibig sabihin po ang gobyerno din ang nagpo-provide ng mga domestic flight tickets para sa ating mga returning OFWs,
02:01pati po yung kanilang temporary hotel accommodation at syempre po yung meals assistance nila.
02:06However, the OWWA clarified that OFWs cannot simply be brought home immediately as they must first go through the processes
02:13required by their host countries, such as exit clearances and transit visas.
02:18This is particularly the case as most Filipinos in the Middle East are contract workers with documentation that must first
02:26be sorted out before they are permitted to leave.
02:28This is made even more challenging by sudden changes in the security situation, which can affect flights that have already
02:36been arranged.
02:37Meanwhile, the DMW has also been monitoring the situation of Filipino seafarers in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters.
02:45According to Secretary Hans-Leo Kakdak, 12 Filipino crew members are safe following an incident off the waters of Iraq.
02:52While in other separate attacks on vessels in the region, no fewer than 50 Filipino seafarers are reported to have
02:59survived.
02:59However, a Filipino seafarer remains missing after a tugboat helping an attacked vessel off the coast of Oman was also
03:06caught up in the incident.
03:08In lieu of this, the DMW said Filipino seafarers may avail themselves of certain protections when the assigned sail route
03:16is highly risky.
03:18Sa ngayon, we've given the directive to the ship owners to avoid the area as much as they could.
03:24And then, number two, yun nga, yung to honor the right to refuse sailing of a seafarer with attendant entitlements
03:33should a seafarer exercise the right.
03:36The DMW added that these rights include free repatriation, the appropriate wages, and protection against discrimination should a seafarer refuse
03:45to sail through war-prone operations areas.
03:48Officials also stressed that government's response remains focused on a safe and orderly return and continued care for Filipinos abroad
03:57as the situation in the Middle East remains complex and fast-changing.
04:02Denise Osorio for the National Television Network for a new and better Philippines.
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