16 Bacolod OFWs seek Middle East repatriation

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — The city government is coordinating with the Department of Migrant Workers for the repatriation of 16 overseas Filipino workers from the Middle East.

City Administrator Mark Mayo said in a Monday media interview that the OFWs are from Bahrain, Kuwait, Israel and Saudi Arabia.

“They wanted to return home and asked how the city could help them go home,” he added.

Mayo said Mayor Greg Gasataya is looking into the extent of assistance the city may provide to the displaced OFWs.

He added that the city is coordinating with concerned national government agencies.

As of March 20, the OFW help desk established by the city government at the Bacolod City Government Center lobby had received more than 160 calls and continues to accommodate more.

Mayo said the majority of the calls came from relatives of OFWs in the Middle East seeking financial assistance or any help the city can extend in case of job displacement.

Tensions in the Middle East have also contributed to higher global oil prices, adding pressure not only on OFWs and their families but also on the transport sector and commuting public.

The Department of Migrant Workers has already facilitated the return of hundreds of OFWs from the region, including 343 repatriates welcomed home on Monday, as the government continues to monitor the situation and assist affected Filipino workers.