Another batch of 41 Overseas Filipino Workers, who availed of the mandatory repatriation program of the government, arrived yesterday from conflict-torn Syria where alert level 4 was raised last December.

Overseas Workers Welfare Administration administrator Carmelita Dimzon said the release of the workers from their respective employers was made possible by the negotiating team of the government composed of officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Labor and Employment, and OWWA.

Exit clearances were granted to the workers after their employers agreed to allow them to leave Syria.

More are expected to arrive from Syria in the next few days with more registrants expected to flock to the Philippine Embassy in Damascus.

Those repatriated were given assistance through immigration and customs formalities and were offered temporary shelter at the OWWA Halfway Home and will be assisted with their domestic transportation needs.

To date, OWWA, had repatriated a total 782 OFWs arriving from Syria.

The group arrived on board an Emirates Airline flight EK 332 from Syria via Dubai.

Meanwhile, the “Libreng Tawag” of OWWA continues to assist family members of OFWs in Syria to communicate with the spouses, children or relatives whose whereabouts of condition they would like to ascertain.

The facility is open at the OWWA-National Capital Region at Pasay City and in all OWWA regional offices throughout the country. *PNA

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