Philippine officials stationed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia visited surviving overseas Filipino workers receiving treatment following a series of deadly projectile strikes at the King Khalid International Airport. Within the span of a single week, the October 10 assault proved to be the third and most lethal strike directed at the prominent Riyadh aviation hub.
According to the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation, the projectile strikes—which were claimed by Yemen-based Houthi forces using a mix of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones—resulted in at least 13 deaths and more than 300 injuries. The fatalities included foreign nationals from the United States, Egypt, Bangladesh, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, Sudan, and Pakistan.
High-Level Delegation Visits Survivors and Shelters
Philippine Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Raymond Balatbat and Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac led a delegation on October 27 to visit the injured Filipino survivors. The official party also included Migrant Workers Undersecretary Jainal Rasul Jr., alongside labor officials Dominador Salanga, Solaiman Mutia, and Geraldine Mendez.
50 OFWs, dependents arrive from Riyadh; 69 more expected FridayMANILA – Fifty overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their dependents arrived from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Friday, while 69 more were expected to reach the country later in the day as the government continued its… pic.twitter.com/Xngww7eI5q
The diplomatic and labor mission extended beyond the hospital wards in Riyadh. Secretary Cacdac traveled to Jeddah, visiting the newly renovated Bahay Kalinga shelter operated by the Migrant Workers Office. Fifty distressed overseas Filipino workers—comprising 42 domestic workers and eight male skilled workers—received financial aid through the AKSYON Fund, with each beneficiary granted 750 Saudi riyals.
Simultaneously, repatriation efforts continued for workers caught in the regional escalation. Sixty-one overseas Filipino workers from Riyadh boarded Qatar Airways Flight QR928 and safely returned to the Philippines on Friday, landing at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City. Personnel from the Department of Migrant Workers and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration met the arrivals to distribute financial assistance, food, and transportation.
Government Stance on Deployment and Ongoing Repatriation Logistics
Secretary Cacdac stated that the Philippine government is currently not considering any deployment ban to Saudi Arabia despite the security climate, emphasizing the host country’s strong dedication to safeguarding foreign nationals. However, the Department of Migrant Workers is coordinating the repatriation of the remains of a Filipino worker killed in a separate Houthi drone attack targeting an oil facility in the Kingdom.
The total number of overseas Filipino workers and their dependents repatriated from Saudi Arabia since October 19 has reached 573. All Filipinos residing in Saudi Arabia have been strongly advised by the Philippine Embassy to stay highly vigilant and to steer clear of crowded public sectors, oil refineries, and military installations.
