MALACAÑANG on Thursday said that nearly 300 Filipinos who were stranded in the Middle East have returned to the Philippines. Presidential Communications Secretary Dave Gomez said the first flight carrying repatriated Filipinos — Emirates EK336from Dubai (DXB) to Manila (MNL) — arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 at 6:45 a.m. Gomez said the passenger manifest included a mix of repatriated Filipinos and other affected travelers seeking to return home. Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac led government officials in welcoming 299 repatriates, including infants and children, upon their arrival, Gomez said. “We are thankful that you are all safe. Also, we are much thankful to Emirates, to the UAE (United Arab Emirates) government for taking care of you, in preparing the flight to Manila as we provide support,” Cacdac told overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) at the airport. The first batch of returnees included 23 OFWs and two children. The flight that departed at 9:55 p.m. Philippine time brought home OFWs, tourists and other travelers who were stranded as the fighting erupted following an Israeli-US attack on Iran. Upon arrival, the returning Filipinos were immediately provided with a comprehensive support package from a coordinated “whole-of-government” team. This assistance included immediate financial aid from the Department of Migrant Workers through the Aksyon Fund, while the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) arranged for hotel accommodations and onward transport to their respective home provinces. The Department of Health and the Department of Social Welfare and Development were also on-site to offer essential medical checkups and psychosocial support services. Officials earlier assured the public that contingency measures remained in place to assist nationals abroad should conditions further escalate, adding that coordination with relevant government agencies and airline partners were ongoing. On Tuesday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. advised Filipinos in the Middle East to stay put and seek shelter, as repatriation efforts have stalled due to the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict. He said that at least 1,416 Filipinos from conflict-hit areas in the Middle East have requested to be repatriated back to the Philippines. Malacañang earlier said that Filipinos in need of assistance may contact the emergency hotlines of the OWWA to report their concerns and request support. OWWA emergency hotlines are for Metro 1348, for Regional -02-1348, via Viber +63-915-079-5005 (Globe), +63-969-169-7068 (Smart) and +63-966-473-9543 (Globe). More than 2 million Filipinos work in the Middle East, according to government figures. Also on Thursday, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) assured the family and relatives of overseas Filipino worker Mary Ann de Vera, who was killed in Israel, that her next of kin will receive full assistance from the agency and OWWA. In a statement late on Wednesday, the DMW said the agencies reached out to de Vera’s family, including her husband in Israel, her sibling in Qatar and her family in Pangasinan. De Vera’s remains are awaiting repatriation and are scheduled to return home as soon as air travel is declared safe. De Vera was escorting her elderly ward to a shelter in Tel Aviv when she was hit by shrapnel from an Iranian missile.