Number of Pinoys injured in Saudi airport attack rises to 4 — DMW

MANILA — The number of Filipinos injured in the Houthi attack on an airport in Saudi Arabia has risen to four as of Sunday night.

Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said three of those injured are currently in the intensive care unit while the other is set to be discharged from the hospital.

“So apat na ngayon ang sugatan, wala pong reported deaths pero apat na sugatan… minamanman natin ang kanilang sitwasyon,” said Cacdac in an interview on DZMM Teleradyo on Sunday night.

“Yung dalawa sa kanila ay nagtatrabaho doon (sa airport). Yung naman dalawa ay pasahero. ‘Yung isa pauwi, yung isa domestic flight within Saudi.”

Cacdac said efforts are now being made to contact the families of the injured.

“Tagubilin ng Pangulo, manmanan ang sitwasyon ng husto at yung pamilya ng apat na sugatan sabi ng pangulo ay pangalagaan. Kaya we are also reaching out to the family of the four,” he said.

“‘Yung isa sa kanila nasa Saudi ang pamilya, so madali naming nakadaupang palad ang pamilya, pero the three others we are continuing to reach out.”

Saudi Arabian civil aviation authorities earlier reported 12 deaths and 309 injuries in the strike on the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh: four Saudi citizens, two Bangladeshis, one US citizen, one Egyptian, one Jordanian, one Syrian, one Palestinian and one Sudanese. 

Cacdac said they have no exact figures of Filipinos working in the airport, but he is sure there are quite a number.

“We are sure may mga Pilipinong nagtatrabaho una a mismong airport operations, ground crew at iba pang klaseng operations sa aiport. Meron ding tinatawag na concessionaires ‘yung mga kainan, cafeteria, within the airport. Samut sari ang klase ng mga Pilipino doon, mayroon sa mga Duty Free,” said the DMW chief.

They are also monitoring the situation of those Filipino workers whose jobs will be affected by the attack.

“So nakaantabay doon ang ang ating labor attache para tumugon sa anumang nais idulog ng ating mga OFWs at kanilang pamilya kasama na rito ang posibleng maapektuhan ang trabaho gawa nung pansamantalang pagsara ng airport,” he said.

Cacdac said the Philippine government is appreciative of the protection being accorded by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Filipinos working there especially since the Middle East trouble between the US and Iran began.

“Kitang kita natin mula nung magsimula ang hidwaan, kita nating ganoon na lamang ang proteksyon na ibinibigay nila sa ating mga kababayan at hindi naliliban ang kasalukuyang sitwasyon,” he said.

“Alam naman natin ang sitwasyon ay generally under control by the Saudi authorities.”

He also advised OFWs in Saudi to observe safety protocols to avoid getting into trouble.

“They are and also to be mindful of the social media protocols na pinaiiral ng host government… yan ang ating paalala sa ating mga kababayan,” he said.

“In general, patuloy ang economic life ng Saudi Arabia akaya tayo’y nananalig naman sa kaharian ng Saudi Arabia.”

The DMW has also released a list of reminders to OFWs in Saudi Arabia:

1. Avoid places that are potential or possible attack targets like military installations, refineries, or similar locations. Once at the airport, stay away from crowded areas; 

2. Follow announcements from the Embassy, Consulates, and MWOs in KSA, as well as the Facebook pages of Saudi government branches;

3. For those who have a return schedule, call your airline before going to the airport, or check the email you used to book, tell your employer to check their emails from time to time;

4. Do not take videos or photos of any attack and do not post them on social media, because this is strictly prohibited in KSA and comes with appropriate penalties;

For those who need help and assistance, the DMW said they can get in touch with the following:

**RIYADH / CENTRAL REGION** 

**Philippine Embassy – Assistance to Nationals**  

📞 +966 56 989 3301

 **Migrant Workers Office (MWO) Riyadh**  

📞 +966 50 285 0944  

✉️ mwo_riyadh@dmw.gov.ph

**OWWA Riyadh**  

📞 +966 50 285 0944  

✉️ welfare_riyadh@owwa.gov.ph

 **JEDDAH / WESTERN REGION**

**Philippine Consulate General – Assistance to Nationals**  

📞 +966 55 521 9613  

📞 +966 55 521 9614

 **Migrant Workers Office (MWO) Jeddah**  

📞 +966 56 981 9720  

✉️ mwo_jeddah@dmw.gov.ph

**OWWA Jeddah**  

📞 +966 54 473 7797  

✉️ jeddah@owwa.gov.ph

**AL KHOBAR / EASTERN REGION** 

**Migrant Workers Office (MWO) Al Khobar**  

📞 +966 56 232 9926  

✉️ mwo_alkhobar@dmw.gov.ph

 **OWWA Al Khobar**  

📞 +966 56 232 9926  

✉️ alkhobar@owwa.gov.ph