Nearly half a million OFWs have returned to PH since 2020 — OWWA

Photo from DFA

MANILA, Philippines — The number of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) who have returned home since the pandemic started is nearing half a million, an official of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) told senators Thursday.

“As of today, we are approaching the 480,000-mark, we’re approaching half a million OFWs who have returned, transported to their respective home regions,” OWWA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said during a Senate labor committee hearing.

According to Cacdac, the figure include not only those who sought government assistance for repatriation through the Department of Labor and Employment or the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) but also those who took their own commercial flights to the Philippines.

According to DFA Assistant Secretary Enrico Fos, the repatriation of 390,917 Filipinos was facilitated by the DFA.

Of this number, Fos said 287,252 are land-based workers, mostly from the Middle East. The rest are sea-based workers, mostly working in cruise ships.

COVID-19 cases among Filipinos abroad

Meanwhile, DFA Undersecretary Sarah Arriola told the Senate committee that the department has so far recorded 15,928 total COVID-19 cases among overseas Filipinos.

Among these cases, 5,239 are still undergoing treatment while 9,645 have already recovered.

The death toll stands at 1,044 fatalities.

EDV