Malacañang Orders Concerned Agencies To Repatriate 282 Dead OFWs in Saudi
DEAD OFWs IN SAUDI – Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the Palace would commiserate the families of 282 Overseas Filipino Workers who died in Saudi Arabia.
Previously, the labor department said that 50 OFWs who died due to COVID-19 in Saudi would be buried in the country as per their customs. Meanwhile, the rest of the OFWs who died in the Middle Eastern country would be repatriated back to the Philippines.
According to an article from Philstar, Roque stated:
The Palace commiserates with the families and loved ones of the 282 overseas Filipino workers who died in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
We offer our prayers to the deceased and to those they left behind
Due to their customs, Saudi Arabia asked officials of the Philippines to repatriate the remains of the OFWs as cremation is not allowed. Along with this, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello said Saudi King Salman gave the country 3 days to bring home the bodies of OFWs or decide to bury them in Saudi Arabia.
READ: Sick OFW Who Seeks Help From Netizens in Viral Video Passes Away
As such, the Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 decided to have the bodies of those who died due to the virus buried in Saudi. However, the rest would be sent back home. Based on the article, the OFW community in Saudi Arabia is the largest in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said on Twitter that he sought assistance from Saudi Ambassador Abdullah Al Bussairy to repatriate the remains of the OFWs.
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