BY JEFFREY DAMICOG
*
ARRANGEMENT are being made to have three chartered flights to bring home the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who died in Saudi Arabia, said Presidential spokesman Harry Roque on Tuesday.
“There was talk last night that they will be chartering three flights to bring home the remains,” he disclosed during an interview over CNN Philippines.
“So, we are not sparing any expense in bringing home the remains of those who could be brought home,” he added.
Recently, Philippine Ambassador to Riyadh Adnan Alonto said there currently 353 remains of OFWs awaiting repatriation to the Philippines including 107 persons who succumbed to the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and 246 who mostly died of natural causes.
Of the data, Roque said, “Hindi naman po siguro nakakasorpresa kasi pinakamarami po talagang OFWs natin ay diyan sa Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
“They are the number one destination for Filipino OFWs,” 3 chartered flights to bring home remains of OFWs from Saudi he added.
On the other hand, he expressed concern over the number of dead Filipinos who got infected with coronavirus.
“I can only surmise siguro dahil mga nakatira sila sa mga dormitory,” the spokesman said.
Alonto said the Philippine Embassy has already made representations with the Saudi government regarding arrangements for the repatriation of the bodies while also seeking an exemption from the Muslim tradition of immediately burying the remains.
