Liza Marcos visits OFWs in Riyadh, repatriates 43 workers

First Lady Liza Marcos visited Bahay Kalinga temporary accommodations in Riyadh over the weekend, meeting with distressed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), mothers, and children, assuring them they were coming home, marking her as the first Philippine First Lady to visit such a facility.

During her visit, Marcos facilitated the repatriation of 43 distressed OFWs and eight minor dependents, providing financial aid and essential support from various government agencies including OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan who hailed the visit as a landmark moment for supporting distressed OFWs.

Each returning worker received PHP120,000 in assistance upon arrival in Manila on Sunday, along with travel luggage and essentials provided by the First Lady. Upon return, each repatriate also received additional financial support totaling PHP70,000 from different government offices.

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) coordinated to ensure safe travel and reintegration assistance for the OFWs. Additionally, transportation and temporary accommodation were provided for those returning to Visayas and Mindanao.

Marcos's visit extended beyond Bahay Kalinga to the Bagong Bayani ng Mundo Serbisyo Caravan where she met with OFWs availing themselves of services from frontline agencies, marking the first time a wide array of government agencies came together to support Filipino workers abroad.