Singapore helped evacuate 24 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, by providing seats on a repatriation flight originally deployed to bring stranded Singaporeans home following airline disruptions linked to tensions in the Middle East.
The evacuation was carried out by the Singapore Air Force, which deployed an A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft to bring Singapore nationals home from Jeddah.
After Singaporean citizens and their families were accommodated, remaining seats on the aircraft were offered to foreign nationals affected by the travel disruptions, including 24 OFWs.
“This was very much a partnership. We worked in close coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah to facilitate the Filipinos who joined the flight,” Singapore Ambassador to the Philippines Constance See said, adding that the flight landed in Singapore on March 13 at 5:59 a.m.
The ambassador said Singapore’s evacuation mission complemented Manila’s efforts to bring its nationals home safely, describing the move as an example of cooperation among Southeast Asian countries during emergencies.
“Singapore and the Philippines are close friends, and we were very glad to help these Filipinos begin their journey home. At the end of the day, what matters most is that people return safely to their families,” See said.
“This is really ASEAN solidarity in action, neighbors helping neighbors in difficult moments. Our ASEAN neighbors have assisted Singaporeans in returning home in past crises,” she concluded.
