MANILA, Philippines—Another 56 overstaying overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, who availed of the government’s voluntary repatriation program, returned to the country on Monday.
Personnel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s Terminal 1, however, expressed surprise seeing the returning OFWs minus their belts, shoe laces and hand-carried items, among other personal belongings.
The repatriates have told NAIA staff that “for undisclosed reasons, Saudi immigration authorities (in Jeddah) confiscated our personal items.”
The OFWs took an Etihad Airways connecting flight from Abu Dhabi, which originated from the western Saudi city.
When contacted, Philippine ambassador-designate to Riyadh Ezzedin Tago said they would immediately look into the matter.
“I will inform the Philippine consulate in Jeddah about this,” Tago told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Tago said “there may be new (airport) procedures being implemented by Saudi authorities,” as he also cited the Riyadh government for the help it provided in the repatriation of the troubled Filipino migrant workers.
Meanwhile, another 125 undocumented OFWs are scheduled to fly back to Manila on Tuesday, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Last week, the DFA repatriated nearly 170 OFWs from the Middle East kingdom.
In February, the agency brought home some 420 OFWs and their dependents.
The Office of the Vice President has placed at 4,500 the number of overstaying OFWs in Jeddah, Riyadh, Al-Khobar and other Saudi cities hosting OFWs.
Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary J. Eduardo Malaya, also DFA spokesperson, said the agency had sufficient funds for the repatriation of distressed migrant workers in Saudi Arabia.
Malaya cited P205 million in newly replenished funds for the DFA’s Assistance to Nationals Unit.
Citing a report of the Philippine consulate in Jeddah, the DFA said Saudi authorities had cleared for repatriation another 500 OFWs in the western Saudi city.
The mission has been making travel arrangements for the repatriates, who have been housed at the Saudi Deportation Center, Malaya also said.
“Flight bookings have been made for the repatriates. They are expected to be back home in the coming weeks,” he added.
In 2009 and 2010, the DFA repatriated 815 and 1,429 OFWs and their dependents, respectively.