More OFWs in Dubai seen to go home for holiday season

MANILA – More overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), particularly in Dubai are expected to come home and be with their families for the holiday season, the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in the host country said on Friday.

“My only basis is the number of people who come to our office, which is almost 200 a day. So this is the workers we expect to go home to the Philippines,” Labor Attache John Rio Bautista said in a virtual forum.

The POLO official added that the Filipinos go to their office to verify their contracts, which is the main reason for their intention to go back home.

“Their intention to go to the POLO is to verify contracts, process their membership in OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration) because they want to go home to the Philippines,” he said.

“So this is also the number or more, that we expect to go home to the Philippines until Christmas or until the New Year,” Bautista added.

At the same time, he reported that the Arab country is now open, as far and industries and the economy are concerned.

“It’s open again, the economy and industries are now busy here in the UAE. Filipino workers are very welcome here,” the POLO said.

The UAE has also been included in the green list of the government where arriving Filipino workers are no longer required to undergo quarantine.

On the other hand, Bautista added that aside from household service workers (HSWs), Filipinos are employed in retail stores, among others.

He said the Duty Free shop in Dubai is hiring former Filipino workers numbering over 600. The workers lost their jobs due to the pandemic.

“The Dubai Duty Free management has contacted us, more than 600 will return. We have special facilitation. Every week we process at least 100 contracts for our OFWs who will return to Dubai Duty Free,” Bautista added.

Likewise, he said employers from the health sector are looking to hire Filipino health professionals again.

There are more than 800,000 OFWs in the UAE.