Largest batch of repatriated OFWs from Kuwait back in PH

REPATRIATED OFWs. Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) amnesty availees from Kuwait strike President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s signature pose as they return to the country. Duterte welcomed the returning OFWs at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City on Feb. 12, 2018. (Alfred Frias/Presidential Photo)

MANILA — At least 600 overseas Filipino workers (OFW) from Kuwait came home in one batch Wednesday morning, the largest recorded repatriation carried out in a single day, said the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The repatriated are those who availed the amnesty program of the Kuwaiti government.

The latest batch brings to 1,796 the total number of Filipino workers who have asked to be repatriated after availing the amnesty program provided by the Kuwaiti government.

“If I am not mistaken, our repatriation today could be among the largest if not the largest to be carried out in a single day in a non-conflict situation,” Ambassador to Kuwait Renato Villa said in a statement Tuesday.

The envoy, who was involved in numerous repatriation efforts in the Middle East, said the only other large-scale repatriation that he could think of was the repatriation of around 700 Filipinos from conflict-torn Libya in 2014.

The 610 workers departed from Kuwait at 4 p.m. Tuesday and arrived in Manila at 9:05 a.m. Wednesday, according to the Manila International Airport Authority.

As per Villa, the 430 passengers were on board the mercy flight sent by Cebu Pacific while the remaining 180 took the Philippine Airlines.

Meanwhile, among the repatriated Filipinos were 68 mothers and children and 12 wards rescued by the Embassy.

The Embassy said it has processed 3,801 travel documents for workers since the amnesty period began. It expects more than 2,000 more to be repatriated in the next few days.