THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) yesterday said incomplete requirements delayed the repatriation of the second batch of the remains of deceased overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Saudi Arabia.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said government failed to complete the requirements for the repatriation of the next set of OFW bodies.
“They are still lacking in papers,” Bello said, adding they expect the second batch to at least match the 49 that were initially repatriated last week.
“The 2nd batch of repatriation has been moved by a week. More bodies of our dear OFWs will arrive on July 20 instead,” the DOLE said.
The 49 bodies sent home last week consisted of 20 who died from COVID-19 and 29 from other causes.
In all, 274 OFW bodies that have piled up in Saudi since last February need to be repatriated by the Philippine government.
