200 OFWs granted amnesty back from Saudi

May 24, 2017 - 9:29 AM
4923
Repatriated OFWs being processed at airport
File image from News5 video shows repatriated OFWs being processed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

MANILA, Philippines — Some 200 distressed overseas Filipino workers arrived in the country from Saudi Arabia on Wednesday morning after being granted amnesty by the Middle East kingdom.

The OFWs arrived on Emirtes Flight EK336 from Dubai at 5 a.m.

Their repatriation, including their return to their home provinces, is shouldered by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

The returning workers said many distressed OFWs remain in Saudi Arabia and worried they might be caught in Saudi Arabia’s crackdown on undocumented foreigners.

Many of those left behind, they said, worry about leaving because they remain unpaid by their former employers while others are still hoping to find new jobs.