MANILA – The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has pledged to facilitate the return of 220 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were recently granted clemency by the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The DMW announced its commitment to not only bring these workers back to the Philippines but also to help them reintegrate into society through a comprehensive government strategy known as the Bagong Pilipinas initiative. The DMW’s Migrant Workers Office in the UAE, in collaboration with the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi, is actively working on the documentation and logistics required to ensure the swift return of these pardoned individuals. The DMW expressed its appreciation to the UAE government for this act of clemency, which was declared on December 26, 2024, coinciding with the UAE’s 53rd National Day festivities. The pardoned OFWs had been detained for various offenses. The DMW highlighted that this gesture underscores the robust and lasting relationship between the Philippines and the UAE, a relationship that was further solidified during a recent meeting between President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. and Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in November 2024. The DMW reiterated its dedication to supporting these OFWs in their reintegration process, reflecting President Marcos’ gratitude towards the UAE’s benevolent action. This follows a similar gesture in June 2024, when 143 Filipinos were pardoned in the UAE during the Eid al-Adha celebrations.
Philippine Government Commits to Repatriating and Reintegrating 220 Pardoned OFWs from UAE
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